A novel reconstruction technique for chronic lateral ankle instability: comparison to primary repair.

Twenty patients with lateral ankle instability were treated by a novel anatomical reconstruction technique (group A) and the results compared with 20 patients (group B) who, during the same period of time, underwent primary repair of ruptured lateral ligaments of the ankle. We reviewed 15 patients from group A and 17 patients from group B at a mean follow-up of between 2 and 4 years. The mean functional scores were good in both groups without significant difference, and there was no difference in the mean anterior talar translation between the two groups. We therefore conclude that chronic lateral instability of the ankle may be successfully treated, even in the presence of severely damaged, attenuated or absent ligament tissue.