Composite Buttock Augmentation: The Next Frontier in Gluteal Aesthetic Surgery.

BACKGROUND Despite rapid growth, gluteal fat transplantation has a dismal safety record and often results in inadequate domal projection. Implants alone for gluteal augmentation have also been reported to be less than ideal, with significant complication rates. The idea of combining both implants and fat, as has been described in the breast, was therefore applied to surgery of the buttocks. METHODS One hundred forty-seven consecutive cases of buttock augmentation were reviewed. Average follow-up was 18 months. The technique of composite buttock augmentation used progressive instrument dissection to precisely define the correct intramuscular plane of the implant pocket with a minimum amount of pocket access dissection. RESULTS Operating times averaged 1 hour 55 minutes. The average volume of fat inserted was 380 cc. The average implant volume was 300 cc. Complications included implant displacements and implant pocket infections requiring surgical intervention. There were no cases of pulmonary thromboembolism, fat embolism, or death. CONCLUSIONS Taking a lesson from composite breast augmentation, composite buttock augmentation is a new method for gluteal reshaping that seeks to use the best of both worlds: the reliable core projection of an implant combined with the natural appearance and feel of fat. Progressive instrument dissection seeks to minimize unnecessary dissection and to accurately and safely define the intramuscular pocket. The intramuscular placement of implants instead of fat should eliminate the risk of fatal fat pulmonary embolism in these patients. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, IV.