October 27th, 2016
Penile Implants are commonly used devices, which are selected depending upon the age of the patient, infection risk, past medical and surgical history and patient’s own personal preferences. Placing penile Implant is an invasive and a costly procedure as opposed to the medications and penile pumps. Fortunately, most patients report satisfactory results after the surgery.
There are two primary types of penile implants; these are:
1. Inflatable implants:
These are most commonly employed variety of implants and are available in the inflated or deflated forms; depending upon the needs. These are of two types:
Some inflatable implants come with a layer of antibiotics, to reduce the risk of infection.
2. Semi-rigid Implants:
These are firm devices, which make the penis sprung out when sexual intercourse is needed, while at other times, it can be bent back towards the body. It is easier to implant and easier to use than other types. And since it has less number of parts than an inflatable implant, it is therefore less likely to malfunction. However, the demerits of this type are that it keeps the penis slightly rigid at all times, which may put a constant strain inside the penis causing injuries, and it may be difficult to hide under the clothing.
Operative Details:
A consult with a doctor or urologist is required. After the patient tells about the need for a penis implant, the doctor will follow these steps:
A general or spinal anesthesia is given before the surgery. Intravenous antibiotics are injected and surgical area is shaved completely.
The surgeon makes an incision below the penile head, at the base of the penis or in the abdomen. He then stretches the spongy tissue inside the penis, and chooses a correctly sized implant. If a 2-piece inflatable device is to be inserted, the valve and pump both are placed inside the scrotum, but if a 3-piece implant is used, a fluid reservoir is put under the lower abdominal wall through another incision. After that the surgical incisions are stitched up. The entire surgical process takes about 45-60 minutes.
Pain-relievers and antibiotics are prescribed after the surgery for about a week. The patient is advised to keep the penis pointing upwards on the lower abdominal wall, to prevent downward bending.
After about 4-6 weeks, the patient can resume strenuous activities and sexual activity. The patient is also advised to perform full inflation and deflation of the penile implant twice daily for practice.
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