Transposition of the tendo calcaneus for post-traumatic bone defects of the tibia

Certain post-traumatic defects of the lower extremity present difficult problems in therapy and current methods of management do not offer satisfactory solutions. One such defect is an ulcerative lesion of the lower limb eroding the tibia and forming a chronic, rigid-walled cavity. We describe an operation in which the bone cavity is filled by viable tissue which acts as a bed for a skin graft. In chronic stasis ulcers it has been established that the tendo calcaneus will accept a skin graft, provided the paratenon is left undisturbred.