Posterior transfer of the anterior tibial tendon in children who have a myelomeningocele

ABSTRACT: Posterior transfer of the tendon of the anterior tibial muscle through the interosseous mem-brane to the calcaneus to prevent or correct a calcaneus deformity was performed in twenty patients (thirty-nine feet) who had a myelomeningocele. The average age of the patients at the time of the operation was 4.6 years, and they were followed for an average of six years. Sat-isfactory clinical and radiographic results were obtained in thirty-seven (95 per cent) of the thirty-nine feet. Two patients, one who was unable to walk and one who walked at home only, had a mild equinus deformity of the left foot. No patient had a clinical calcaneus deform-ity, but there was radiographic evidence of tahipes cal-caneus in one patient (two feet). The anterior tibia