[Maisonneuve fracture.]

Nineteen patients with acute Maisonneuve fracture of ankle were treated at the Orthopaedic Clinic IPVZ FN Bulovka in 1993-1997. This number represets 5 % of all patients treated acutely for fracturedislocation of ankle. Another 5 patients were managed for poor results of the management of this fracture treated at other Clinic. In all patients surgical therapy was indicated: 14 times - the method of insertion of two parallel transfixation (positioning) screws, 5 times - the method of insertion of 1 screw combined with plaster cast fixation. In patients with the resulting poor outcomes after the fracture, reconstruction was performed in 1 case and in case of ankle fusion 4 times. The follow-up covered 10 patients after acute operation, of which in 7 patients the result was exellent, in 1 patient good and 2 patients evaluate the condition as satifactory. On this basis it may be concluded that surgical therapy in the shortest possible interval after the trauma with the use of 2 transfixation (positioning) screws and fixation of medial melleolus or by suture of deltoid ligament is fully indicated. In case of contrasindication of surgical treatment a high cast has to be applied extending above the knee in the internal rotation of the lower limb. Key words: Maisonneuve fracture, fracture-dislocation of ankle, therapy, diagnosis.