Diplopodia with reversed foot: Normal gait after operation at 8 years of age

Abstract

Diplopodia with the duplicated foot tucked up posteriorly, was reconstructed successfully in an 8-year-old boy. The knee joint, fibula and tibia were uninvolved; he had been walking on the dorsum of the foot wearing an ordinary shoe with the heel forward. The foot had ten toes, nine metatarsals and nine tarsal bones including one talus and one large calcaneus on which two Achilles tendons were inserted into two tuberosities. The lateral supernumerary foot was excised and the medial foot was dorsiflexed by almost 180° by massive release and elongation of tendons. He could walk on his bare reconstructed foot without a brace 10 months after the operation.