Surgical Implants - Treating Erectile Dysfunction: Mens Sexual Health

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Surgical implants

Surgical implants should be considered only after you've tried other, less invasive options. Penile implants date back to the 1930s, when a piece of human rib was surgically placed inside a man's penis. Since then, the process has been refined, and now there are two kinds of implants.

Silicone rods. One type of implant consists of two pencil-thin silicone rods that are placed in the penis above the urethra. The operation is done on an outpatient basis and takes about an hour. The penis remains permanently erect, although it can be pointed down along the thigh to conceal it under clothing.

Inflatable cylinders. Another kind of penile implant consists of two inflatable cylinders positioned in the corpora cavernosa, which produce an erection when filled with saline fluid (see Figure 10). The fluid is pumped from a reservoir implanted in the abdomen or the scrotum. Although an inflatable implant produces a more natural erection than a silicone rod, it's more prone to complications, like infections and malfunction. About 5% of men need a second operation to replace the implant.

Figure 10: Surgical implant This implant consists of two inflatable cylinders surgically placed in the corpora cavernosa to produce an erection when filled with saline fluid. The man pumps the fluid by hand from an abdominal reservoir by using a pump located in his scrotum. A different form of implant (not shown) includes two surgically inserted flexible rods that create a permanent erection. The penis can be pointed downward when not in use.

Last updated:	September 05, 2008