[Carbon fiber ligament replacement in the treatment of chronic instability of the external ankle joint ligament].

Ligament repair should be considered when a patient has disabling pain with giving way and chronic instability of the ankle from old ruptures of the lateral ligaments. Because of some incontestable disadvantages using Watson-Jones-or similar techniques we prefer the alloplastic with carbon fibres to reconstruct the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments. Imitating the physiological course and insertions of the ligaments we managed to achieve a permanent lateral stability in 51 cases out of an operated group of 54 patients.