Guest guest Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 Publication Name: THE GAZETTE Publication Date: 12/13/2000 Headline: Oldest of doctors, youngest of patients Byline: Section: B Page: 5 Column: Oldest of doctors, youngest of patients Doctor, 86, keeps plenty busy thanks to Internet postings about his clubfoot treatment for babies IOWA CITY (AP) - Hundreds of parents from around the world are bringing their babies to University Hospitals because of Internet postings about an 86-year-old doctor. The parents have read about how Ignacio Ponseti uses his hands and old-fashioned plaster casts to fix infants' twisted feet. The flow of babies increases each time a parent gushes online about Ponseti's gentle treatment of clubfoot deformities. " That's what's bringing together the oldest of doctors with the youngest of patients, " said Audilet, who flew from North Carolina four times this fall to have Ponseti work on her 4-month-old daughter, Claire. Claire Audilet was born with clubfoot, which about one in 800 American babies develops while in the womb. Her left foot was curled in, pointing at her right leg. The girl's mother called Ponseti, who said he would help the little girl. " I'm 86, but I feel well, " Ponseti said. " This is a very satisfying way to practice. The parents are so elated. " All this is happening 16 years after Ponseti was told he was too old to work. He retired at age 70 because a university rule said he had to. His wife, Helena Percas Ponseti, remembers how frustrated he became. He felt unneeded, and he complained that surgeons were ignoring his ideas in favor of pointless operations. The retirement rule was lifted two years later. He returned to work, focusing on clubfoot treatment. Twelve years passed, and Ponseti appeared to be headed back into retirement at age 84. He stopped by the office a couple of times a week, treating a few babies from Iowa and nearby states. Then the hospital's Web site posted information about his method. Parents frantically researching their newborns' deformities latched onto the hopeful message, then passed it around on other sites. The phone started ringing. Ponseti practices nearly full time now and has treated hundreds of babies in the past two years. " He just works fiendishly, " said Stuart Weinstein, a UI pediatric surgeon. " I don't foresee him ever letting up. " Ponseti's method won't work for every baby. A few have deformities that are too stiff. Other babies are too old, usually past six months, and are no longer flexible enough to manipulate. But even surgeons who routinely operate on clubfoot babies acknowledge Ponseti's broad success. Everyone knows he can't continue indefinitely. Weinstein and UI colleague Dr. Frederick Dietz are prepared to take over for Ponseti - but they aren't in any hurry. For information on Dr. Ignacio Ponseti's methods for treating children who have clubfeet, go to http://www.vh.org/Patients/IHB/Ortho/Peds/Clubfeet/Clubfeet.html on the World Wide Web. Shelle Havelick Gazette Circulation ext 8820 shelle.havelick@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 26, 2005 Report Share Posted July 26, 2005 Publication Name: THE GAZETTE Publication Date: 12/13/2000 Headline: Oldest of doctors, youngest of patients Byline: Section: B Page: 5 Column: Oldest of doctors, youngest of patients Doctor, 86, keeps plenty busy thanks to Internet postings about his clubfoot treatment for babies IOWA CITY (AP) - Hundreds of parents from around the world are bringing their babies to University Hospitals because of Internet postings about an 86-year-old doctor. The parents have read about how Ignacio Ponseti uses his hands and old-fashioned plaster casts to fix infants' twisted feet. The flow of babies increases each time a parent gushes online about Ponseti's gentle treatment of clubfoot deformities. " That's what's bringing together the oldest of doctors with the youngest of patients, " said Audilet, who flew from North Carolina four times this fall to have Ponseti work on her 4-month-old daughter, Claire. Claire Audilet was born with clubfoot, which about one in 800 American babies develops while in the womb. Her left foot was curled in, pointing at her right leg. The girl's mother called Ponseti, who said he would help the little girl. " I'm 86, but I feel well, " Ponseti said. " This is a very satisfying way to practice. The parents are so elated. " All this is happening 16 years after Ponseti was told he was too old to work. He retired at age 70 because a university rule said he had to. His wife, Helena Percas Ponseti, remembers how frustrated he became. He felt unneeded, and he complained that surgeons were ignoring his ideas in favor of pointless operations. The retirement rule was lifted two years later. He returned to work, focusing on clubfoot treatment. Twelve years passed, and Ponseti appeared to be headed back into retirement at age 84. He stopped by the office a couple of times a week, treating a few babies from Iowa and nearby states. Then the hospital's Web site posted information about his method. Parents frantically researching their newborns' deformities latched onto the hopeful message, then passed it around on other sites. The phone started ringing. Ponseti practices nearly full time now and has treated hundreds of babies in the past two years. " He just works fiendishly, " said Stuart Weinstein, a UI pediatric surgeon. " I don't foresee him ever letting up. " Ponseti's method won't work for every baby. A few have deformities that are too stiff. Other babies are too old, usually past six months, and are no longer flexible enough to manipulate. But even surgeons who routinely operate on clubfoot babies acknowledge Ponseti's broad success. Everyone knows he can't continue indefinitely. Weinstein and UI colleague Dr. Frederick Dietz are prepared to take over for Ponseti - but they aren't in any hurry. For information on Dr. Ignacio Ponseti's methods for treating children who have clubfeet, go to http://www.vh.org/Patients/IHB/Ortho/Peds/Clubfeet/Clubfeet.html on the World Wide Web. Shelle Havelick Gazette Circulation ext 8820 shelle.havelick@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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