title: Treatment algorithm for chronic lateral ankle instability.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  ankle sprains are a common sports-related injury. A 20% of acute ankle sprains results in chronic ankle instability, requiring surgery. Aim of this paper is to report the results of a series of 38 patients treated for chronic lateral ankle instability with anatomic reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  thirty-eight patients were enrolled in the study. Seventeen patients underwent a surgical repair using the Brostrom-modified technique, while the remaining underwent anatomic reconstruction with autologous or allogenic graft.
  
  
  RESULTS
  at a mean follow-up of 5 years the AOFAS score improved from 66.1 ± 5.3 to 92.2 ± 5.6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the findings of this study confirm that anatomic reconstruction is an effective procedure with satisfactory subjective and objective results which persist at long-term follow-up along with a low complication rate. No differences, in term of clinical and functional outcomes, were observed between the Brostrom-modified repair and the anatomic reconstruction technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  level IV.
authors.affiliation: I Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.affiliation: I Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruffilli
authors.affiliation: I Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna Italy.
authors.forename: Gherardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pagliazzi
authors.affiliation: I Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazzotti
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Orthopaedics, Villa Erbosa, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Evangelisti
authors.affiliation: I Clinic of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buda
authors.affiliation: Department of Rizzoli, Sicilia, Orthopaedic Service, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bagheria, Italy.
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Faldini
keywords: anatomic reconstruction; ankle sprain; chronic ankle instability; plantaris