Calf implants: a 25-year experience and an anatomical review

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Aesthetic Surgery
• Body Contouring

Background:

• Calf augmentation is an increasingly popular cosmetic procedure.
• Various techniques exist, including implants, liposuction, and free flaps.
• Alloplastic augmentation involves implant placement and pocket dissection strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present 25 years of experience with the subfascial technique for calf implantation.
• To conduct an anatomical study detailing the surgical steps and relevant anatomy.
• To evaluate the aesthetic outcomes and complication rates of this technique.

Main Methods:

• Anatomical dissection was performed on 25 cadavers to capture high-resolution surgical images.
• A retrospective study analyzed the aesthetic outcomes and early/late complications in patients who underwent calf augmentation.
• The subfascial technique was applied in 63 patients, involving 126 implants.

Main Results:

• The subfascial technique yielded a high aesthetic index of 9.8.
• Early complications included postoperative pain (11.11%), infection (0.79%), seroma (21.42%), and wound dehiscence (7.14%).
• Late complications observed were capsular contracture (3.17%), implant rupture (1.58%), implant displacement (3.96%), and ankle numbness (2.38%).

Conclusions:

• The subfascial technique for calf augmentation demonstrates favorable surgical outcomes.
• Low complication rates support its recommendation as the gold standard for alloplastic calf augmentation.
• This technique provides a safe and effective option for enhancing calf aesthetics.