PÆDIATRICS

of these patients, a follow up rate of 55%. The results were graded into four groups: (i) ideal; (ii) good; (iii) fair; (iv) failed. The author was prompted to review these cases because of poor figures reported in reviews by other authors. The operation was described by Lambrinudi in 1927 as an operation to correct foot drop. He had expressed satisfaction with the result but had not given any details. The operation became popular and indications were extended to include equine-varus, equino-valgus and even cavus deformities, as well as the fixed equinus and the passively correctable drop foot for which it was originally intended. The author's series include a number of patients operated on by Lambrinudi himself. A number of complications are reported. The early complication of delay in healing occurred frequently. Sepsis did not appear to affect the ultimate result. The late results showed instability caused by stretching of the lateral ligament and the anterior ligaments of the ankle as a serious cause of failure. In some cases this has led to the need of a later arthrodesis. Another complication was the development of callosities due to altered weight-bearing points on the sole of the foot. Arthritis has occurred in the ankle joint. Pseudarthrosis occurred more often in the older age group. The final listing is that 57% were successful, 19% were failures. Many of these failures, however, were associated with faulty technique.