[PARTICULAR QUALITIES OF DIAGNOSTIC ACUTE LATERAL ANKLE LIGAMENT INJURIES]

Delayed diagnosis of acute lateral ankle ligaments injury and subsequent inadequate treatment leads to the development of chronic instability and rapid progression of degenerative processes in the joint. The aim of our work was to improve treatment results by developing an diagnostic algorithm and treatment strategy of acute lateral ankle ligament injuries. The study included 48 patients with history of acute inversion ankle injury mechanism. Diagnostic protocol included clinical and radiological examination during 48 hours and after 7-10 days after injury. According to the high rate of inaccurate clinical diagnosis in the first 48 hours of the injury a short course of conservative treatment for 7-10 days is needed with follow-up and controlling clinical and radiographic instability tests. Clinical symptoms of ankle inversion injury showed that the combination of local tenderness in the projection of damaged ligaments, the presence of severe periarticular hematoma in the lateral department and positive anterior drawer and talar tilt tests in 7-10 days after the injury in 87% of cases shows the presence of ligament rupture. An algorithm for diagnosis of acute lateral ankle ligament injury was developed, which allowed us to determine differential indications for surgical repair of the ligaments and conservative treatment of these patients.