Exhibit 5

                                                   [STvB LOGO] [GRAPHIC OMITTED]


BY COURIER AND FACSIMILE:  +1 704-948-2691
Orthofix International N.V.
Abraham de Veerstraat 7
Curacao
Netherlands Antilles
                                                                  Julianaplein 5
                                                                    P.O. Box 611
                                                                         Curacao
                                                            Netherlands Antilles

                                                             T + 599 9 465 50 55
                                                             F + 599 9 465 57 20
                                                                    stvb@stvb.an

Curacao, 14 March 2005


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 2,000,000 Common Shares of the par value of
US$ 0.10 each of the capital stock of the Company under the Orthofix
International N.V. Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "Plan").

In our capacity as Netherlands Antilles counsel we have examined a draft of the
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") which
incorporates by reference the contents of the Company's Registration Statement
on Form S-8 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 20,
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, facsimile or photo static copies; and

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




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                                                     Orthofix International N.V.
                                                                   14 March 2005
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(v)      the Corporate Documents (as defined below) have been amended, cancelled
         or revoked.


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 forgoing 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 participants
       pursuant to the provisions of the Plan have been duly authorized and when
       issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Plan will be
       fully paid and non-assessable; 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 the Company
       on 15 April 2004 (the "Board Resolutions") and which has been approved by
       the annual general meeting of shareholders of the Company held on 29 June
       2004 (the "Minutes", and together with the Board Resolutions, the
       "Corporate Documents").

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 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