[Significance of the fibula in tibial fractures and pseudarthroses].

The importance of the shaft of the fibula in lower leg fractures is the greater, the more unfavourable the situation of the tibia together with the surrounding soft tissue. We consider the operative stabilisation of the fibula to be a good procedure in cases of distal lower leg fractures, comminuted fractures of the tibial shaft and intramedullary nailing of the tibia, to increase overall stability of the whole lower leg system. The fibula is of still greater importance in cases of non-unions with loss of bone, with or without infection. The reconstruction of the tibial bone defect can be achieved via the stable fibula by means of several modifications of the fibula-pro-tibia operation. It can be demonstrated by various examples that the fibula and its stability should be considered more often in the therapeutic management of lower leg fractures and non-unions of the tibia.