Although calf reduction by means of surgical manipulation of the gastrocnemius muscle is now performed much more frequently in Asia than in Europe or on the American continent, it originated in Germany. The first person to describe this technique was Prof. Gottfried Lemperle, who published his paper in 1998.
Operation on the calf muscle
Patients who were treated with a gastrocnemius flap (both heads) as part of knee defect coverage showed no long-term mechanical impairment of calf function. Therefore, 15 patients with muscular calf hypertrophy (= enlarged calves) underwent calf surgery with complete removal of the gastrocnemius muscle.
Two patients experienced temporary numbness at the outer edge of the foot due to impairment of a nerve supplying this area (sural nerve). However, this loss of sensation disappeared completely after the calf reduction.
Good result of calf reduction
All patients were satisfied with the result. None of the patients complained of any functional limitations. All patients were able to pursue sporting activities after the operation.
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