Penile implant – Colmar Urology Centre

The penile implant

A solution in order to preserve your sexuality

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse (WHO’s definiion, 1992).

In the event of a chronic erectile dysfunction and in case of alternative treatments failure, a penile implant can be recommended to compensate a real pathological condition.

What does a penile implant look like ?

The inflatable penile implant (hydraulic mechanism) is made of silicone and impregnated with an association between 2 antibiotics in its surface (rifampicin and minocycline).

The system consists of 3 different elements that are linked by medical tubing: pump and valve, pompe et valve, container filled with physiological serum and a pair of cylinders.

Thus it enables to copy the erectile process and control it thanks to the pump and valve system.

Are there some adverse reactions ?

For some cases a prosthetic infection can occur (1 to 5%of the cases) and it requires the removal of the prosthetic material.

Some mecanical issues with the prosthesis or the tubing may also be observed. The latter increase year after year (5% after 1 year, 20% after 5 years and 50% after 10 years) and require a new intervention to replace the material.

Who are the patients concerned ?

Paraplegia and tetraplegia whatever the cause is, consequences of heavy pelvic traumas with urinary disorders, surgery sequelae (aortic aneurysm, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, rectum cancer) or abdominal pelvic radiotherapy, priapism sequelae, multiple sclerosis, toxic neuropathies (of which ethil), ischemic heart disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes.

The surgical process

The Colmar Urology Centre is the only one in the Alsace region performing this surgery.

Length of stay

2 or 3 days

Length of the surgical operation

80 to 90 minutes

Surgical follow–up

Between D+7 and D+10

Patients are seen again by the doctors 7 to 10 days after the surgical operation to control the local healing and proceed to the management of the prothesis after having verified that there are no immediate post-operative complications.

After 6 weeks, patients can start using their implant.

Some piece of advice on how to use the implant is given to each patient according to his specific situation (inflation and deflation exercises during several weeks).

The implant functioning

N.B : This video was made in order to give a basic explanation on the implant functioning.

It does not correspond to a user manual. Please refer to your doctor for more information.