The second commonest reason that men present to a sexual medicine clinic is for Erectile dysfunction. ED like heart disease is certain to occur when a man ages. Treatment options though many may not work in all. Penile implants are not new to India. However, the prosthesis and knowledge of the procedure is key to make an implant procedure successful.
Penile implants are prosthetic devices that can be used for patients with Erectile Dysfunction as last resort after medications or other therapies don’t work.The penis has two vascular cylinders known as corpora cavernosa that carry blood and are responsible for erection. The penis also has elastic tissue that can expand when filled with blood. In a small sub set of individuals at a young age or in the 50 plus age group the blood flow and the elasticity of the tissues reduces going downhill as the individual ages. This can be accentuated by certain diseases like diabetes and hypertension or lifestyle factors like obesity, high cholesterol or smoking. This causes Erectile Dysfunction. The first measure after lifestyle modifications is the use of PDE5 inhibitor drugs that are quite effective. However, in certain individuals these drugs are contraindicated and in others they don’t work. In these individuals the role of penile implants are invaluable.
The semi rigid implants are two cylinders and are easy to fix. Though it is cheaper and the procedure is simpler, constant erection may be difficult to hide. The three piece inflatable implant is costlier and the procedure is more cumbersome. However, the ease of use makes it comfortable for the patient and most women don’t even realize that their partner has an implant.
With increasing awareness through the internet and better products available, the need for penile implants is growing. More men in our society are coming forward for this procedure rather than suffering in silence.