How to Use a Penile Implant

Erectile dysfunction refers to a man's continual inability to retain an erection long enough to have sexual intercourse. The condition sometimes has a mental source, such as anxiety about performance or depression over an unrelated situation. However, when the cause is physical -- for example, an underlying medical condition like diabetes or heart disease -- a penile implant can be an effective form of treatment. Such prostheses are surgically inserted into the penis' corpora cavernosa, two cylindrical areas that enable erections when engorged with blood, and they come in two basic types: bendable (also called malleable) and inflatable.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Bendable Implants

1. Place your fingers on the penis and locate the area where the two rod implants have been inserted into the corpora cavernosa.

2. Adjust the prostheses by gently bending the rods upward until they're in the desired erect position.

3. Return the implants to a non-erect position by bending them downward after sexual intercourse is finished or whenever you're ready.

Inflatable Implants

4. Place your fingers on the scrotum between the testicles.

5. Pat or slide your finger along the area until you touch the implant valve, which is attached to the pump that releases fluid from the liquid reservoir located in the scrotum (the two-piece inflatable implant) or the abdomen (the three-piece inflatable implant).

6. Press the valve to make the fluid flow from the reservoir into the two cylinders inserted in the corpora cavernosa of the penis, which inflates the penis to an erect state.

7. Locate the pump's valve again with your fingers after sexual intercourse is complete or whenever you're ready.

8. Press the valve once more to make the fluid flow from the cylinders in the penis back into the scrotal or abdominal reservoir, thereby deflating the penis to a flaccid state.

Tips & Warnings

• Complications from penile implants include possible pain, scarring, post-operative bleeding, erosion of surrounding tissue and infection. If a doctor can demonstrate that the cause of erectile dysfunction is physical, health insurance may cover the cost of a penile implant. It's possible for both bendable and inflatable implants to stop working eventually, although the failure rate is higher for the second type. In that event, consult a doctor to have the device repaired or replaced. Bendable implants are always partially rigid, so they tend to be more noticeable. If a candidate is concerned about such visual concerns, the inflatable variety might be a better option because the implants are more natural in appearance and feel, and less difficult to conceal during normal activity.
• Pain typically lasts for about a month after penile implant surgery, and patients should avoid driving and extensive activity during that period. While less than 3 percent of men who have penile implants inserted develop an infection, if one occurs, the situation usually requires removal of the implant. If a new prosthetic device isn't inserted, the patient will likely never achieve an erection naturally again.

References

• Penile Implants Guide
• Penile Prostheses for Erectile Dysfunction

Resources

• Erectile Dysfunction Guide

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