EXHIBIT 5



                         SMEETS THESSELING VAN BOKHORST
                          NETHERLANDS ANTILLES LAWYERS
CURACAO                             NEW YORK                           THE HAGUE



805 THIRD AVENUE              JULIANAPLEIN 5                KONINGINNEGRACHT 29
NEW YORK, N.Y 10022-7513      CURACAO                       2514 AB THE HAGUE
U.S.A.                        NETHERLANDS ANTILLES          THE NETHERLANDS
TEL: 212-308-7100             TEL: 599-9-465 5055           TEL.: 31-70-311-0133
FAX 212-308-9608/9            FAX: 599-9-465 5720           FAX: 31-70-311-0130
                              E-MAIL: smeets@smeets.an

                                                                   June 28, 2001

Orthofix International N.V.
7 Abraham de Veerstraat
Curacao
Netherlands Antilles

Re: Orthofix International N.V.

Dear Sirs,

We have acted as Netherlands Antilles counsel to Orthofix International N.V., a
corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Netherlands Antilles
(the "Company"), in connection with the Company's Registration Statement on
Form S-8 to be filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., in connection
with the registration of an amount 1,167,850 Common Shares of the par value of
US$ 0.10 each of the capital stock of the Company under the Orthofix
International N.V. Staff Share Option Plan and the Orthofix International N.V.
Executive Share Option Plan (herein together the "Option Plans").

In our capacity as Netherlands Antilles counsel we have examined a draft of the
Registration Staternent on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") which
incorporates by reference the contents



SMEETS THESSELING VAN BOKHORST

Re:  Orthofix International N.V.
June 28, 2001
page 2


of the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-8 as filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on August 12, 1992 and we have also examined the
Articles of Association, as amended, of the Company and originals or copies of
such corporate records of the Company, certificates of public officials and of
the Directors and other representatives of the Company, and such other documents
as we have deemed necessary as a basis for the opinion hereinafter expressed.

In our examination of the documents referred to above and in expressing our
opinion, we have assumed without independent verification of any kind:

(i)      the genuineness of all signatures on all documents we have reviewed;

(ii)     the authenticity of all such documents submitted to us as originals;

(iii)    the conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as
         certified or photostatic copies; and

(iv)     the due authority of the parties authenticating such documents;

In rendering the following opinion we are opining on the matters hereinafter
referred to only insofar as they are governed by the laws of the Netherlands
Antilles as currently in effect. We have made no investigation of and express no
opinion in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Netherlands
Antilles.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing and having due regard for such legal
consideration as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion, that:

1.       The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in
         good standing under the laws of the Netherlands Antilles with the
         corporate power and authority under such laws to own, lease and operate
         its properties and to conduct its business as described in article 2 of
         the Articles of Association.

2.       The Common Shares to be made available by the Company to the optionees
         pursuant to the provisions of the Option Plans have been duly
         authorized and when issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of
         the respective Option Plan will be fully paid and nonassessable; and
         all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization and
         issue of such Common Shares has been validly and sufficiently taken by
         the Board of Directors of



SMEETS THESSELING VAN BOKHORST

Re:  Orthofix International N.V.
June 28, 2001
page 3


         the Company on May 23/24, 2001 and is subject only to approval by the
         annual general meeting of shareholders of the Company scheduled to be
         held prior to September 30, 2001.

3.       Under the laws of the Netherlands Antilles, no personal liability
         attached to the holders of the Common Shares solely by reason of their
         ownership thereof.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.

This opinion is delivered to you, solely in connection with the transaction
described in the Stock Transfer Agency Agreement and may not be relied upon or
used by you and your counsel for any other purpose, or by any other person,
without our written consent.


                                                Sincerely yours,



                                                /s/  Willem van Bokhorst
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Willem van Bokhorst