Ankle sprains: surgical treatment for recurrent sprains. Report of 10 patients treated with the Chrisman-Snook modification of the Elmslie procedure.

A group of 10 patients (3 women and 7 men; 17 to 57 years old, average 23.9; mean, 21 years) was evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively following surgical repair with a modification of the Elmslie procedure (i.e., by using one-half of the tendinous portion of the peroneus brevis ligament to reconstruct the anterior and middle fasciculi of the lateral ligament). The patients were athletes who participated in bicycling, boxing, tennis, hockey, basketball, football, soccer, or a combination of sports. Each patient gave a history of spraining the ankle numerous times. Stress films were obtained preoperatively and postoperatively. The talar tilt was generally reduced in postoperative films (average preoperatively, 12.5 degrees; average postoperatively, 5.6 degrees). We conclude that the Elmslie procedure, as modified by Chrisman and Snook, is simpler to perform than the Watson-Jones procedure and has provided the majority of our patients with satisfactory results.