What Is The Recovery Like From Clavicle Reduction Surgery?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’d writing to inquire about a few procedures with Dr. Eppley. I’m wondering if you can tell me the cost of each as well as answer some questions I have. I am transsexual so have to plan these around some other surgeries, both time-wise and financially. I expect I wouldn’t be able to do this probably until early next year, hopefully as my last surgery.

1)Clavicle reduction. How much length can you take off? What is involved with recovery?

2) Rib removal. Can you estimate how much it takes off the circumference of the waist Are there ever issues with soft tissue laxity?

3) Lateral Orbital Rim Reduction. I read on your website this can be done using an intraoral incision. I’ve already had a hairline incision during FFS and one hair transplant with another coming soon so would rather not have a coronal incision on top of it, especially because I would expect shock loss. I’m planning on having fat transferred to my temples soon as they’re very depressed. Do you think this will also reduce the appearance of the lateral orbit? I’ve attached a photo where the light catches it on one side and you can see the silhouette of it on the other.

A: Thank you for your inquiry. In answer to your questions:

1) In shoulder reduction surgery a 2 cm (one inch) segment is taken fro each clavicle. Recovery is somewhat similar to a broken clavicle with the exception that there is two of them.

2) Patients report a 1 to 3 inch reduction in circumferential waistline measurements. No on has ever indicated that it has caused a soft tissue laxity problem.

3) Lateral orbital rim reduction can not be done using an intraoral incision, that requires a more direct eyelid incision. There is always a chance that temporal augmentation can make the lateral orbital rims either diminished or no longer visible.

4) I will have my assistant Camille pass along the cost of these surgeries to you tomorrow.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana