Colville's 1998 review surveys the surgical management of chronic lateral ankle instability — who needs surgery, how to evaluate them preoperatively with stress radiographs, and how to choose among direct repair, augmented tendon graft, and osteotomy procedures based on tissue quality, alignment, and subtalar laxity.
When a patient fails rehab and bracing for chronic lateral ankle instability, start with direct Broström-type repair unless you find attenuated tissue, a varus hindfoot, peroneal weakness, generalized laxity, or prior failed repair — those factors shift the decision toward augmented reconstruction or concurrent osteotomy.
Always get bilateral stress radiographs preoperatively: asymmetric anterior translation >5 mm or talar tilt >5° confirms instability and helps distinguish ankle from subtalar laxity before you're in the OR.
Colville's 1998 review surveys the surgical management of chronic lateral ankle instability — who needs surgery, how to evaluate them preoperatively with stress radiographs, and how to choose among direct repair, augmented tendon graft, and osteotomy procedures based on tissue quality, alignment, and subtalar laxity.
When a patient fails rehab and bracing for chronic lateral ankle instability, start with direct Broström-type repair unless you find attenuated tissue, a varus hindfoot, peroneal weakness, generalized laxity, or prior failed repair — those factors shift the decision toward augmented reconstruction or concurrent osteotomy.
Always get bilateral stress radiographs preoperatively: asymmetric anterior translation >5 mm or talar tilt >5° confirms instability and helps distinguish ankle from subtalar laxity before you're in the OR.