How Can I Fix The Indentation Below My Upper Hip Implant?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I got iliac crest implants in Korea along with small hips implants. I now have some dents under the implants. Is there a way to solve this using silicone implants? Perhaps longer implants or change in implant contour? Or implant positioning?

A Hip augmentation is challenging in that it is really a vertically long area and is actually comprised of three zones, Zone 1 = iliac, Zone 2 = trochanteric and Zone 3 = lower hip region. This makes it aesthetically difficult to just augment one single hip area/zone and get a smooth contour from top to bottom. As you have learned augmenting zone 1 with the plate creates a relative deficiency in the lower two zones. Adding the current silicone implant augments zone 2 but can leave a stepoff at that transition point.

This leaves two potential solutions:

1) the current implant needs to have a better taper towards its inferior edge rather than be shaped like a mound in cross-section, or

2) use a longer implant with a taper.

This is actually a common problem in all hip implants. (inferior edging)  I would start first with having the current implant with a more distinct taper towards its inferior edge but probably a longer implant is ultimately what is needed.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon