Guest guest Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 That's how I feel - if we just help one more child...and over the years I've seen the " one more " add up to hundreds here! It's awesome. s. First time > > posting... > > > > > > > > > I have been reading over many of the previous > > posts and thought I'd like to join in ... > > My > > > third child was born 9/24/05 with a right club > > foot and has been sequentially casted > > since > > > he was 2 days old. He just had an achilles > > tenotomy on Dec 6th and is currently in the > > > cast for approx 4 weeks, then to another cast > > for ~3 more weeks before moving to the > > > AKFO. > > > > > > My husband also has a right club foot, but was > > never treated the way kids are today. > > He's > > > fully functional and you'd never know he had a > > club foot unless you looked closely. :-) > > > > > > I'm completely new to this process, and from > > what I have seen on the boards, most of > > the > > > kids here have bilateral clubs, so I'm not sure > > if the treatment post tenotomy is the > > same > > > for unilateral vs bilateral? > > > > > > It's my understanding that our ortho in > > Arlington Heights, IL will be putting our son > > into > > > an AKFO as soon as he's done with approx 7 weeks > > of casting post surgery and he'll be > > in > > > that orthotic 23/7 until he's walking, at which > > point I'm foggy on the course of > > treatment. > > > > > > I noticed another poster is seeing Dr Lemke in > > Geneva--- Would love to chat with you > > > directly if you see this message! We live in > > Sugar Grove, but opted to see Dr Marty in > > > Arlington Heights as he came highly recommended > > by a friend who's son was treated > > for > > > bilateral foot issues (not club foot.) > > > > > > Anyway, I hope you all don't mind my jumping in > > and I apologize if I ask questions that > > > have been asked a thousand times before!! :-) > > > > > > Stacee > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 I have spoken with Dr Nemeth and my current doctor since my last post. (been a busy morning!!) Dr Nemeth basically said I should wait until my son's cast is scheduled to come off, then when he's not casted at all, I should seek a second opinion from whomever we choose. I agree, after speaking with him in depth. Our current doc claims that he does, in fact, use the DBB, but in certain cases he's found it difficult or impossible to keep the child's feet in the brace so he's moved to the KAFO and AFO. I disagree with this statement, but what do I know?!? I think he was politely trying to tell me that there are many parents who do not follow the instructions they are given as they should, which results in poor outcomes. He doesn't put the second post tenotomy cast on as a standard treatment...only if he can't get the DBB in time or if there are other issues prior to the cast removal. He said he uses a longer time in the post tenotomy cast to ensure that the progress is not lost before moving to the DBB. In short, I do think this doctor is doing what he should... or at least as close to Ponseti as we can get now--this far into treatment. Our plan right now is to continue with our current doc until the cast has been removed and we're in the DBB, at which time we will get in to see Dr Ponseti (if possible) or Dr Noonan/Nemeth. That way, our son will have followed a close path to that of True Ponseti, and will be out of his cast so the second opinion doctor will be able to effectively evaluate the foot. According to Dr Nemeth, we won't cause any damage by remaining on our current course until the cast is removed, so that was a relief to hear!! I will keep posting as we learn more, and TO learn more!! Thanks so much for everyone's support... It's refreshing to find people who truly care and are willing to open up to complete strangers in order to help them!! Stacee > > > > > > Stacee, > > > It sounds like some kind of posterior release was > > performed, not just > > > a tenotomy. I don't know what all of the > > ramifications might be. For > > > sure there would be scar tissue to contend with. > > You probably won't > > > be able to get a good " second opinion " with just > > pictures/email at > > > this point as a doctor would probably want to > > physically examine the > > > foot to give you decent feedback and to make > > decisions on what (if > > > anything) more would need to be done. > > > I don't know if Dr. Lemke has treated any patients > > who have previously > > > undergone surgery- you might want to ask her this. > > I know that your > > > son could still benefit from the Ponseti method, > > but the approach may > > > be altered now. You're not too far from Iowa City > > either and might > > > consider a trip there to see Dr. Ponseti as well! > > > Keep us posted! > > > & (3-16-00, left clubfoot) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ___________________________________________________________ > To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre. http://uk.security.yahoo.com > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 Stacee- The post-tenotomy cast that your son is in right now- at what angle are his toes pointing? In other words, if you were to look from the front of the knee straight down the front of the leg to the top of his foot, using straight forward as zero degrees (or 12:00, or neutral, whatever you want to call it), where do his toes point? With the Ponseti method, the last cast brings the foot out to 70° past neutral- so the outward rotation (abduction) is very apparent. Sometimes, it can appear that the foot is pointing backwards in that last cast. > > > > > > > > Stacee, > > > > It sounds like some kind of posterior release was > > > performed, not just > > > > a tenotomy. I don't know what all of the > > > ramifications might be. For > > > > sure there would be scar tissue to contend with. > > > You probably won't > > > > be able to get a good " second opinion " with just > > > pictures/email at > > > > this point as a doctor would probably want to > > > physically examine the > > > > foot to give you decent feedback and to make > > > decisions on what (if > > > > anything) more would need to be done. > > > > I don't know if Dr. Lemke has treated any patients > > > who have previously > > > > undergone surgery- you might want to ask her this. > > > I know that your > > > > son could still benefit from the Ponseti method, > > > but the approach may > > > > be altered now. You're not too far from Iowa City > > > either and might > > > > consider a trip there to see Dr. Ponseti as well! > > > > Keep us posted! > > > > & (3-16-00, left clubfoot) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ___________________________________________________________ > > To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security > Centre. http://uk.security.yahoo.com > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 My son's cast is pointing to around 2 on the clock, if I look down his body toward his feet...his back to my belly. When the doctor came out from surgery, he explained that the cast was placed at approx 70 degrees, so apparently he does agree with much of Ponseti's teachings! We go in next week to check that the cast isn't too small (my son has grown shockingly fast in his first 11 weeks of life!!) at which time I will be grilling the doctor again on exact course of treatment. I'm also going to schedule appointment(s) with either Drs Noonan/ Nemeth or Ponseti, depending on who can get us in after the cast is removed. Stacee > > > > > > > > > > Stacee, > > > > > It sounds like some kind of posterior release was > > > > performed, not just > > > > > a tenotomy. I don't know what all of the > > > > ramifications might be. For > > > > > sure there would be scar tissue to contend with. > > > > You probably won't > > > > > be able to get a good " second opinion " with just > > > > pictures/email at > > > > > this point as a doctor would probably want to > > > > physically examine the > > > > > foot to give you decent feedback and to make > > > > decisions on what (if > > > > > anything) more would need to be done. > > > > > I don't know if Dr. Lemke has treated any patients > > > > who have previously > > > > > undergone surgery- you might want to ask her this. > > > > I know that your > > > > > son could still benefit from the Ponseti method, > > > > but the approach may > > > > > be altered now. You're not too far from Iowa City > > > > either and might > > > > > consider a trip there to see Dr. Ponseti as well! > > > > > Keep us posted! > > > > > & (3-16-00, left clubfoot) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ___________________________________________________________ > > > To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all > new Yahoo! Security > > Centre. http://uk.security.yahoo.com > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 12, 2005 Report Share Posted December 12, 2005 My son is scheduled for his tenotomy with Dr. Herzenberg next Tuesday. He will be under general anethesia and Dr. Herzenberg mentioned using a " tool " to pull the heel down while is under. He called it something medical and then used the term " Belgian pull down " with one of the other doctors in the room. He said it would give him a better correction. I totally trust Dr. H...many people on here see him...and he practices the Ponsetti method to a T. While I am new to all of this, I would leave the cast on, let the foot heal, and then get a second opinion. > > > > Stacee, > > It sounds like some kind of posterior release was performed, not just > > a tenotomy. I don't know what all of the ramifications might be. For > > sure there would be scar tissue to contend with. You probably won't > > be able to get a good " second opinion " with just pictures/email at > > this point as a doctor would probably want to physically examine the > > foot to give you decent feedback and to make decisions on what (if > > anything) more would need to be done. > > I don't know if Dr. Lemke has treated any patients who have previously > > undergone surgery- you might want to ask her this. I know that your > > son could still benefit from the Ponseti method, but the approach may > > be altered now. You're not too far from Iowa City either and might > > consider a trip there to see Dr. Ponseti as well! > > Keep us posted! > > & (3-16-00, left clubfoot) > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.