Small plate, big hope: new surgery may fix clubfoot without cutting bone
NCT ID NCT07621328
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested a new, less invasive surgery for children aged 4 to 10 with a stubborn clubfoot deformity called 'bean-shaped foot.' Instead of cutting bones, surgeons placed a small metal plate across a joint in the foot to gently guide growth and straighten the foot over time. The goal was to see if this approach could fix the alignment while keeping the foot flexible and avoiding the stiffness that often comes with traditional bone-cutting surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Eight-Plate epiphysiodesis (a small metal plate and screws placed across the calcaneocuboid joint to guide foot bone growth)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer a less invasive, joint-sparing surgical option for children with persistent clubfoot deformity, reducing the need for more extensive bone-cutting operations.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small study (15 children) with no comparison group, so results may not apply broadly. The plate and screws could loosen or cause discomfort, and long-term outcomes until full bone maturity are still being tracked.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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15 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2024
- Finished
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Jan 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
diatric patients presenting with symptomatic, flexible or partially flexible residual forefoot adduction (the clinical "bean-shaped foot") who had failed prior conservative management following primary treatment for idiopathic congenital clubfoot. The study cohort was recruited from a tertiary pediatric orthopedic center and followed prospectively to evaluate the outcomes of lateral column growth modulation.
- Ages
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4 to 10 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: the children's age should be from 4 to 10 years old. children with clubfoot who still had symptomatic residual forefoot adduction Exclusion Criteria: * patients who had dynamic forefoot adduction
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Cairo university
Giza, Egypt
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.