Abstract
The gastrocnemius recession is a popular surgical procedure for the treatment of equinus
contracture. Lengthening the gastrocnemius tendon has been show to be an effective
means of reducing pressure to the plantar forefoot by weakening the triceps surae
complex. The more traditional method of weakening the triceps surae is a modification
of Hoke's triple hemisection through the tendoAchillis. This technique unfortunately
carries a serious risk of the development of a calcaneal gait. The purpose of this
case report is to demonstrate that the gastrocnemius recession is an effective and
safe alternative to the traditional tendoAchillis lengthening. The authors also describe
a minimally invasive technique that uses a pediatric speculum for a self-retrained
retractor and portal for instrumentation and visualization.
Level of Clinical Evidence
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 05, 2010
Footnotes
Financial Disclosure: None reported.
Conflict of Interest: None reported.
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
