A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STANDARD AND ACCELERATED PONSETI METHODS IN TREATING IDIOPATHIC CONGENITAL TALIPES EQUINOVARUS

Abstract

Background: Idiopathic congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), or clubfoot, is a common congenital deformity affecting approximately 3.25 per 1,000 live births in India. The Ponseti method, a gold standard for CTEV management, offers high efficacy through sequential manipulation and casting, with the standard protocol involving weekly cast changes. The accelerated Ponseti method, reducing casting intervals to 3–5 days, has been proposed as a time efficient alternative, particularly for resource-limited settings. Patients and Methods: This prospective, comparative study evaluated the efficacy of standard versus accelerated Ponseti methods using the Pirani scoring system. Ninety children with idiopathic CTEV were randomized into standard (weekly casting) or accelerated (biweekly casting) groups.