Custom Body Implant Surgery

Custom body implants are implants that are made specifically for the patient to camouflage their specific defect. The way that this is done is that Dr Hodgkinson in consultation with the patient assesses the defect and makes a plaster mould of the exact deficit that the patient is trying to mask. This mould is then sent off to a manufacturer in the United States who makes a solid silicone implant to match the exact dimensions of the required implant. The implant can be manufactured in various levels of hardness, called durometers, to mimic the tissue it is supposed to replicate muscle, bone etc.
Areas and conditions for which Dr Hodgkinson has used custom body implants include:

• Chest Wall Deformities
  Poland’s Syndrome
  Pectus Excavatum
  Pectus Carinatum
  Chest Asymmetry due to Scoliosis

• Muscle Tears, Muscle Injury or Muscle Atrophy including Birth Defects
  Calf Implants (these can also be off the shelf if the sizing is appropriate)
  Pectoral Implants (these can also be off the shelf if the sizing is appropriate)
  Bicep Implants
  Tricep Implants
  Deltoid Implants

Custom body implants can be used to mimic the volume of the biceps and triceps muscles. Dr Hodgkinson has only used these implants where there is a marked asymmetry of the two sides due to a muscle injury or tear.

There are no manufactured deltoid implants.  These are custom made body implants which must be made specifically to meet the need of the patient and to fit their defect.  These cases are uncommon, however, due to Dr Hodgkinson’s reputation for custom body implants and over thirty years experience in customising implants for patients with muscular injuries, defects and atrophy, he has had to opportunity to treat a few of these patients with deltoid injuries with custom solid silicone implants and achieve excellent results.