Can Calf Implants Be Done In A Clubfoot?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I was born with club feet. I had Achilles release surgery as a baby. I am now 25 and have been considering calf augmentation for a number of years.

A: Thank you for your iuquiry. It is quite common as you know that the associated calf on the clubfoot will have a smaller and more atrophic leg between the knee and ankle. While calf augmentation with an implant is a reasonable and standard approach for this problem, the unique issue with the ‘clubfoot calf’ is how tight the skin is around the calf area. This limits the size of the calf implant that can be placed and how much change (calf size increase) can actually be obtained. You can see that placing implants in a cosmetic calf concern where the skin and underlying soft tissues are soft and supple is quite different from that of a congenital calf deformity where the skin is more tight and less prone to stretch. It would be helpful to see pictures of your calfs and to know the actual circumferential measurement around the mid-portion of your calfs.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis,Indiana