Hip Implants

Q: Dr. Eppley,  I am interested in getting hip implants. When coming in for hip implants, can you determine how big you want your hip implant of is there just one size?

A: The size of hip implants one can have is dependent on multiple factors including hip location implantation site, how thick/thin the overlying tissue are and what type of hip augmentation results one expect. There is no such thing as a preformed hip implant as the patient demand is too low for any manufacturer to make true hip implants in standard sizes. Hip implants are done using either standard buttock implants or buttock implants that have been custom carved at the time of surgery to fit the patient. Before surgery the location of the desired hip augmentation is measured and those dimensions are used in picking or making the hip implants to be used.

I would need to see some pictures of your hips and your location of your desired hip augmentation site to determine if this is a procedure that might be beneficial for you. One key factor in qualifying the patient for hip implants is whether they can tolerate the location and length of the incision needed to place them.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana