Penile Implants
In some cases, medications traditionally used to treat erectile dysfunction are just not an option.
For example, men who take nitrates for heart disease are typically advised against using popular ED drugs like Viagra® because it works like nitrates do and can lead to a precipitous drop in blood pressure, which may cause a heart attack.
Penile implants are often a good choice for men who opt not to have to depend on the manual operation of a device such as a vacuum pump, or for those who are bothered by the idea of recurring penile injection therapy to treat ED.
How Penile Implants Work
There are three main types of implants available:
- 3-piece inflatable penile implants
- 2-piece inflatable penile implants
- Malleable (a noninflatable, semirigid prosthesis)
For a 3-piece implant, an inflatable prosthesis is surgically inserted in the penis. It is connected via a tiny tube to a reservoir of fluid implanted in the lower abdomen, with a pump located in the loose skin between the testicles. By pressing the pump, fluid inflates the penis, causing an erection. A deflation valve at the base of the pump returns fluid to the reservoir, essentially deflating the erection.
The 2-piece implant is similar, except that the reservoir of fluid part of the pump located in the scrotum.
The semirigid implant is just as it sounds: always firm, and able to bend outward for sexual activity.
The benefit of a surgical penile implant is that a man can have an erection whenever he chooses. In addition, sensation in the penis is not affected, nor is the ability to orgasm and ejaculate.
An implantable penile prosthesis is generally recommended in cases where a patient’s erectile dysfunction is irreversible. Most men (and their partners) are extremely satisfied with the performance capabilities of a surgical implant.
Penile Implant Videos
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What to Expect
Pre-Op Instructions
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Post-Op Instructions
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Questions About Penile Implants? Contact us!
For more information about penile implant surgery, call the urology offices of Douglas Masson, MD, FACS, at (602) 337-8500, or request an appointment online.
