The ankle joint plays important role in weight bearing, walking and standing, which consist of medial and lateral malleolus, tibial plafond, talus,ligament and soft tissue structure. Hence, the ankle injuries not only fracture of bone but often also the rupture of ligament and soft tissue. The purpose of this study is to reduce the complications and to early return to work by anatomical reduction of ankle mortise. The authers analysed 78 cases(76 patients) of the ankle fractures which were treated in department of orthopaedic surgery, Busan City Medical Center from March 1991 to february 1994 and average follow up period was 21 months(from 14 to 38 months). The results obtained from this study were as follows ; 1. The most common type of the ankle fractures, according to the classification of Lauge-Hansen, was supination-external rotation type(37%). 2. 62 cases (79%) were treated by open reduction and internal fixation and 16 cases(21%) were treated with closed reduction. The result of patients who were treated by open reduction and internal fixation were better than those by closed reduction, according to the criterion of Meyer. 3. The incidence of complication, such as traumatic arthritis and nonunion occured higher in the cases treated with closed method.