Being able to have and maintain an erection during sexual intercourse can be important to a man’s ego and a source of self-confidence. It can also affect intimacy for a couple. However, men should know they are not alone. An estimated 30 million middle-aged and older U.S. men have erectile dysfunction (ED).
This condition is characterized by the inability to get and keep an erection firm enough to have sex. It is often treated with medications such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, as well as other treatment options that include penile injection therapy, and a vacuum erection device. But these options may not help everyone.
For some of these men, a surgical procedure called the penile implant (or penile prosthesis) may be an option. The penile implant allows men to achieve an erection through an implanted device. These devices can be effective in restoring sexual activity for a man and his partner. According to Yale Medicine urologist Stanton Honig, MD, the penile implant has a satisfaction rate of 95%, in part because it allows for spontaneous relations with a partner at any time.
“Penile implants are an effective way to restore spontaneous sexual activity for men when other treatment options have failed or are not well tolerated,” says Dr. Honig. “In my practice, they have a very high satisfaction rate.”
There are two types of penile implants: inflatable devices and semi-rigid rods.
Both of these devices will not affect orgasms or ejaculation. However, many couples find it takes a while to get used to the device.
Because much of the erectile tissue needs to be removed to implant the device, a man will not be able to achieve an erection on his own after surgery. For this reason, the penile implant should be considered only after other treatment options have failed or patients are not happy with side effects of other treatments.
A penile implant may be appropriate and helpful for men with erectile dysfunction that has failed to respond to (or tolerate) medication and other treatments. Severe cases of erectile dysfunction are often caused by a serious medical issue, such as diabetes, heart disease, or the effects of prostate cancer.
Penile implants may also help men with a condition causing a deformity in the penis (such as Peyronie’s disease, a condition in which scar tissue can cause the penis to bend). Age is not a limiting factor for patients who desire a penile implant.
Both types of penile implant surgery are outpatient procedures, and are performed in 90 minutes or less. The patient can go home on the same day. To ensure adequate healing, the device should not be used for at least six weeks following the procedure.
Complications are rare, but the most common include mechanical failure, infection, incorrect sizing, and reservoir migration.
Yale Medicine Urology, named one of the nation’s best urology programs by U.S. News & World Report, provides the most advanced treatment with state-of-the-art technology. As a team, we believe in the importance of the patient-doctor relationship and strive to provide compassionate, quality urologic care to every patient.
Stanton Honig, MD is the doctor who performs penile implant surgery. Dr. Honig has over 25 years experience with placement of penile prostheses. His state-of-the-art technique includes the “no touch technique,” implant-specific antibiotic irrigation and antibiotic usage, and a precise placement of the reservoir depending on the particular condition that caused the erectile dysfunction.
He is a regional referral doctor for the most complicated cases, such as patients with prior infections, Peyronie’s disease, and priapism (a condition that causes a prolonged erection of the penis without sexual arousal).