Pelvic plasty is a new structural body contouring surgery for upper hip widening. (at least in the U.S.) It does use an osteotomy or bone moving procedure to create this effect. Rather the hip augmentation is created by adding an implant to the iliac crest rim of the pelvic bone. Given the location of the iliac crest and its frequent exposure to external forces and trauma, the iliac crest implant is composed of metal for rigidity and prevention of deformation. Besides its rigid metal construct it also has multiple locations for screw holes for firm fixation to the bone given that the implant is essentially extending the ‘edge of a cliff’ so to speak.
This type of hip implant, besides being metal, is a unique combined design between that of an aesthetic component and and reconstruction plate side components. For the sake of clarity I will refer to the aesthetic component as the working end or part of the implant in which the augmentation effect is created. This is the central 2/3s portion of the implant. The reconstructive part of the implant is the lateral or side plates in which the screw holes reside, hence why it is also referred to as an iliac plate. Much like fixing a fracture the plate is secured by screws to the bone. In this case it is for implant stability and not fracture healing.
There are different sizes of the iliac crest implants with projections ranging from 15mm to 50mms. The most common size used is 35mms projection (purple color), 11.5cms long and with 2 screw holes on each plate extension. There are also screw holes in the aesthetic part of the implant, one on each side and one in the center. Thus there are lots of screw placement options but all of them do not need to be used for firm fixation. Usually two points of screw fixation is what is needed. Screw lengths in these side holes are 25mm to 30mms.
The aesthetic part of the implant is hollow which minimizes the amount of metal material implanted and lowers its weight. There is also a center hole in the middle of the arc of projection which theoretically can be used for a single central point of screw fixation using longer screws. (50mms) Although this is rarely done.
There is a curved shape to the implant for an anatomic fit to the curved shape of the iliac crest. But everyone’s iliac crest has a bit of a different drive to it so the plate ends may need to be adapted (bent) to fit the curve of the bone as much as possible.
Dr. Barry Eppley
World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon