Venkat R.1, Suguru Ravi Kumar2, Penugonda Ravi Shankar3, Deety Lakshmi Venkatesh4
BACKGROUND
Pirani scoring system is one of the classification systems in management of club
foot which is simple and easy to use. However, there is paucity of studies using
Pirani system to determine the severity and monitor progress in the treatment of
club foot. We therefore set out with the aim of assessing severity and monitoring
the progress of treatment using the Pirani scoring system. The Pirani scoring
system, together with the Ponseti method of club foot management, was assessed
for its predictive value.
METHODS
It was a hospital-based prospective study of 57 club foot in 41 patients designed
to evaluate the role of Pirani score in deformity assessment and management of
club foot by Ponseti method. Consecutive patients presenting at the outpatient
department at SVRRGGH, Tirupati with idiopathic club foot, and in-patients
department with idiopathic club foot were recruited into the study. Informed
consent was obtained from parents/guardians of the patients that were recruited
in the study. This was a prerequisite for obtaining the ethical approval. Data
collected from the study groups was entered into a worksheet, and analysis was
performed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software for
windows version 21. Significant statistical inferences were drawn at p & lt ; 0.05.
RESULTS
The correlation between the midfoot score, hindfoot score, Pirani score and the
number of casts to achieve correction was significant (P = 0.001). Also, there was
correlation between the Pirani score and the need for tenotomy (P = 0.001);
between the number of casts to achieve correction and the need for tenotomy (P
= 0.001). Moreover, the progress of treatment can be monitored with the Pirani
score (P = 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Pirani scoring system is a simple, easy, quick and reliable system to determine
severity and monitor progress in the treatment of club foot with excellent
interobserver variability.
