Solid ultrasoft testicle implants are available in standard sizes or can be custom made. Standard sizes exist up to 5cms while anything larger requires a custom implant design. The whole purpose of making custom implants is to address any size or shape iterations that the patient needs. But at 5cms or below the size changes are only available in 3.25, 3.9 and 4.5cm sizes. While this may be adequate for almost all patients who need standard size implants there may be a few patients who need a very specific number that is between the sizes available. It is also possible a custom implant patient may decide right before surgery that the implant size they requested is too big.
In either circumstance it may be necessary in surgery to modify an implant to reduce its size a bit. This is possible as the soft silicone material can be cur. Because it is a soft silicone it has to be done by small sharp scissors. By taking small bites with the scissors along its longitudinal axis small strips of material can be removed. When done circumferentially the overall size of the implant is reduced.
It its important to use small scissors so small cuts are made and the new surface contour of the implant is not overly irregular. The smooth surface contour of the original implant shape will not be smooth and this is the tradeoff of intraoperative implant modification. But the goal in doing so it to make as non-irregular as possible.
In the end the implant’s surface contour will be the equivalent of having a textured implant surface…not unlike many macro textured surfaces of other body implants.
Dr. Barry Eppley
World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon