title: Classification and surgical correction of asymmetric calves in Asians.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Asia, one of the most important factors in being physically attractive is to have aesthetically pleasing legs, which has made calf contouring surgery an issue nowadays. When one leg is abnormally changed because of various factors (e.g., iatrogenic causes, poliomyelitis, cerebral palsy, trauma, and tumor resection), the tissue atrophies. Such asymmetric calves can be corrected by various surgical methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Calf asymmetry is defined as a difference in the maximal circumference greater than 2.0 cm between both calves. From 2005 to 2012, the authors carried out calf contouring operations on 68 patients. For patients with mild or moderate asymmetry, selective neurectomy with or without liposuction was performed on the hypertrophic calf according to shape and severity. For patients with severe asymmetry, selective neurectomy with liposuction was performed for the hypertrophic calf, whereas the hypotrophic calf was treated with fat injection or silicone implantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At a minimum of 3 months' follow-up, the mild group patients had a size difference less than 0.5 cm. The moderate and severe asymmetry groups showed size differences less than 1.2 and 2.3 cm, respectively. No functional problems or major complications were shown. Minor complications included five cases of wound dehiscence, three cases of hematoma, and six cases of hypertrophic scar at the incision site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Classifying patients into three groups according to the maximal circumferential difference between both legs and treating them separately using different surgical methods could significantly provide satisfying outcomes in both functional and aesthetic aspects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic, IV.
authors.affiliation: Seoul, Republic of Korea From the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University Medical Center.
authors.forename: In Suck
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Min Su
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Byeong Ho
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Joo Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyoung Seok
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Tak
authors.forename: Duk Kyun
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Ahn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery; D015187:Lipectomy / Q000379:methods; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000145:classification / Q000601:surgery; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D056910:Republic of Korea; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult