[Ligament repair with PDS (polydioxanone) in chronic insufficiency of the fibular ligament of the upper ankle joint: experimental and clinical experiences].

From September 1988 till February 1989, 14 patients with chronic ligamentous rupture of the ankle had been operated on using PDS-plasty. Of 12 patients checked in follow-up examination (mean postoperative period 45 weeks), only two showed good or very good results. Most patients had the same signs of chronic instability as preoperatively. Two patients had been reoperated on. Intraoperatively we did not find a biological substitute along the PDS guide line. In an experiment on the rat we examined histological changes and tensile strength at appointed times. Histological data showed no biological substitute of PDS. We also found residues of PDS even after 300 days. After a short time loss of tensile strength occurred. In view of an aseptical necrosis that occurred in our experiments, we must point out the risk of foreign body granulomas.