Correcting of Calf Atrophy With a Custom-Made Silicone Implant: Contribution Of Three-Dimensional Computer-Aided Design Reconstruction: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND The shape of the calf is an essential aesthetic parameter of the legs, and calf atrophy can lead to complex problems. The functional consequences of calf atrophy are generally moderate. Prefilled silicone gel implants represent the vast majority of currently placed prostheses. This technique does not ensure optimal adaptation of the implant shape due to loss of volume. OBJECTIVES The authors propose an innovative procedure for correcting acquired calf atrophy using three-dimensional modeling. METHODS Since 2012, we treated 22 patients for calf atrophy caused by illness. Implants were made with solid rubber silicone, and 3D reconstructions were made from CT scans with a computer-aided design. The implant[s] were introduced using a horizontal popliteal approach. RESULTS We treated 22 patients, and 41 implants were placed. We did not encounter any cases of infection, hematoma, or compartment syndrome. We experienced one case of skin necrosis and one of periprosthetic seroma. In addition, lipofilling was performed in 5 cases. Two patients sought to benefit from a surgical reduction in implant size. CONCLUSIONS We have described an innovative procedure to correct calf atrophy with custom implants designed using 3D CT data. This procedure ensures the production of a calf shape that better adapts to volume loss than prefilled silicone gel implants. The material used for the design is unalterable and facilitates retrofitting of the prosthesis. There is no risk of hulls or breakage, and the life span of the implants is limitless. Thus, this three-dimensional computer-aided design has optimized the authors' reconstructions.