Penile Implant Complications

Abstract

The availability of effective oral medication for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) has dramatically increased awareness of this common problem and encouraged many people to seek treatment. As a result, the marketplace has ballooned many fold in the past few years. There are subgroups of patients who do not respond well to oral therapy; these include patients with severe diabetes mellitus with neuropathy, those in whom nonnerve sparing radical prostatectomy has been performed, and patients with severe venous leakage. Many have turned to alternative therapies including penile implants and according to vendors of these devices in the United States, sales are as good as ever. The mechanical reliability of implants is good with repairs rates in the range from 10 to 20% at 5 yr. There have been few changes in the construction and design of these products in the last decade, indicating that physicians and manufacturers are pleased with the current models, however, problems with these devices can occur. These may be related to mechanical breakdown of the synthetic material, to wearing through body cavities containing prosthesis parts, or to the development of infection associated with prosthetic parts. Experience with these complications has expanded and gratifying results can now be achieved with proper management.