Percutaneous Achilles tenotomy under local anaesthetic in the clubfoot clinic was safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, for both children and parents.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

An Achilles tenotomy is routinely required to correct the equinus deformity in Congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) patients as part of the gold standard treatment using the Ponseti method. This procedure can be performed in clinic under local anaesthetic or in theatre under general anaesthetic. The COVID-19 pandemic reduced theatre capacity and caused a delay to CTEV patients' treatment. A new standard operating procedure that allowed the tenotomies to be performed under local anaesthetic in the clinic was introduced. This study was looking into the safety, feasibility and parents' perspective of this procedure.

Methods

The study was prospectively registered as a service improvement project and followed the SQUIRE guidelines (Ogrinc et al. in BMJ Qual Saf 25:986-99

SUBMITTER: Barkham B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8254860 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature