Penile Implant Surgery in India

Designed to allow Erectile Dysfunction (ED) patients gain erection, Penile Implants are devices placed inside penis of men. Typically recommended after all other treatments for ED have failed, placement of penile implant requires surgical intervention. There are two basic types of penile implants that are currently available; inflatable & semi-rigid. Both these types of penile implants work differently & so have varying pros & cons. ED patients should however make sure to properly understand what this surgical intervention involves including possible risks & complications & follow-up care before choosing to undergo penile implant surgery.

Why Undergo Penile Implant Surgery?

Erectile dysfunction for most men can be effectively treated with medications or by using vacuum constriction devices commonly known as penis pump. Penile implants surgery is only considered in cases which are no good candidates for other treatments or when ED patients cannot obtain sufficient erection for sexual activity by using other methods. Penile implants are also utilized to treat severe cases of Peyronie’s disease involving scarring inside penis eventually leading to curved & painful erections.

However, penile implants are not ideal procedure for everyone. Doctors will caution men against penile implants if they have the following conditions.

• Erectile dysfunction which is situational & is potentially reversible as resulting from a relationship conflict.
• ED caused by an infection like pulmonary or urinary tract infection.
• ED caused by wounds, dermatitis or skin lesions on penis or scrotum.

ED patients must keep in mind that although penile implants allow men get erections, they do not increase sexual sensation or desire in any way. Penile implants also do not make penis any larger than it was at the time of surgery. In fact, erect penis after penile implant surgery may be slightly shorter than it naturally used to be earlier.

Initial Consultation for Penile Implant Surgery

When you talk to doctors or urologists about penile implants, they would most likely take the following steps.

• Review Medical History – Patients should be prepared to answer questions regarding present & past medical conditions including experience with ED. Patients should let doctors know about all medications they are taking & surgeries they have undergone in the past.
• Conduct Physical Examination – In order to make sure that penile implant is the best solution, doctors will conduct a physical examination including a full urologic exam. They would like to confirm presence & nature of ED & make sure that it cannot be treated through any other way. They would also like to determine existence of any other reason which might cause complications from penile implant surgery. Doctors would also examine patient’s ability to use hands as some penile implants as some penile implants require manual dexterity to be effective.
• Discuss Expectation of Patients – It would be ideal in many ways for ED patients to understand what penile implant procedure involves & choose the most suitable type of penile implant in his case. Patients should also evaluate benefits & risks in consultation with the doctor including potential complications. It would also be sensible to include the sexual partner in discussion with the doctor.

Types of Penile Implants

There are two basic types of penile implants.

• Inflatable Implants – These are the most common type of penile implants used to treat ED. They can be mechanically inflated to create erections & deflated at other times. 3-piece inflatable penile implant uses a fluid-filled reservoir which is implanted under abdominal wall along with a pump & release valve placed inside scrotum while 2 inflatable cylinders are placed inside penis shaft. Erections are obtained by pumping fluid from reservoirs inside cylinders & which can be drained back afterwards by releasing the valve inside scrotum. The 2-piece penile implant device works in a similar fashion, but the fluid reservoir in this case is part of the pump implanted in scrotum.
• Semi-Rigid Rods – This type of penile implant is always firm. Penis only has to be bent away from the body for sexual erection & towards the body for concealment. Positionable penile implants are semi-rigid devices involving a central series of segments held together with help of springs at each end. This can effectively maintain upward & downward positions far better than many other types of semi-rigid rods.

Choosing the Right Penile Implant Design

Special designs of penile implants nowadays can provide increased length or even fit a shortened penis. Some types of inflatable penile implants are available with coatings of antibiotics meant to reduce risk of infection. However, it is important to consider personal preference & medical history when choosing the right type of penile implant. Doctors will be willing to suggest one type of penile implant over another based upon factors like age, health condition, risk of infection, injuries and/or medical treatments patients have undergone in the past.

Penile Implant Surgery Procedure

Penile implant surgery is normally performed under general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia medication which blocks pain in lower part of the body. Doctors will also provide IV antibiotics so as to help prevent chances of infections. Site of surgery will also be shaved prior to surgery so as to reduce risk of infection. Catheter is commonly inserted into bladder through penis to collect urine during surgery. Incision of penile implant will be made below head of penis & base of penis and/or in lower abdomen. Surgeons will then stretch the spongy tissue in penis which will normally fill with blood during erections & which is located inside each corpora cavernosa or the two hollow chambers. Following this, surgeons will choose the correct size of penile implant & place implant cylinders inside penis. All sizes of penile implants are customized to exact measurements of penis. Surgeons implanting a 2-piece inflatable penile implant device will place the pump & valve inside scrotum. The 3-piece penile implant device will additionally place a fluid reservoir under abdominal wall through an internal incision.Once the penile implant device is in place, surgeons will sew close the incisions. The entire penile implant surgery normally takes about 45 – 60 minutes to complete.

After Penile Implant Surgery

Patients will most likely need to take medications so as to ease pain after penile implant surgery. Mild pain may however persist for several weeks following surgery. Patients will also need to take antibiotics at least for 7 days so as to prevent infections. Surgeons often recommend patients keep penis upon lower abdomen pointing towards bellybutton during healing process in order to prevent downward curvature. Surgeons also provide specific instructions to patients as to when they can resume normal activities. Normally, most men can resume strenuous physical activities including sexual activity between 4 – 6 weeks following penile implant surgery. Surgeons might recommend fully inflating & deflating inflatable penile implants at least twice a day at this point so as to give patients practice using them & also to stretch the area surrounding cylinders.

Risks & Complications of Penile Implant Surgery

Some common risks associated with penile implant surgery include the following.

• Infection – Infection is a possibility with any type of surgery. ED patients are at increased risk of infection from penile implant surgery in case they are having Diabetes or Spinal cord injury. Patients requiring Revision Penile Implant. Surgery concerning adjustment or replacement are at higher risk of infection than they were with the initial penile implant procedure.
• Problems with Implants – Although new penile implant devices are reliable, there are rare cases when these implants fail to work correctly. Like, internal parts can break down over time in some semi-rigid penile implant devices. Fluid can also leak at times or pump devices fail in inflatable penile implants. Surgery is therefore inevitable in such cases so as to repair, remove or to replace broken penile implants.
• Adhesion or Internal Erosion – In quite a few cases penile implants are found to stick to skin inside penis or wear-away skin from inside of penis. It is however quire rare that penile implants break through skin. Sometimes this type of problem is linked to infection.

Treating Infection Caused by Penile Implants

Infection can however occur at any time following penile implant surgery, although it is quite rare that infections occur years later. Serious penile implant infection can cause fever, pus buildup & swelling of scrotum. Surgery to remove penile implant is always necessary so as to treat infection. While replacing penile implants can be costly & complicated, it can also lead to formation of scar tissue, loss of sensation & decrease in length of penis.

Also Read: Phalloplasty Surgery

Penile Implant Surgery Results

Penile implant surgery is one of the most expensive & least often chosen procedures for erectile dysfunction. However, most men undergoing penile implant surgery & their partners have reported satisfaction with penile implant devices.

Affordable Penile Implant Surgery in India

India is one of the most favorite healthcare tourism destinations for people around the world to undergo a wide spectrum of affordable medical solutions including penile implant surgery for erectile dysfunction. Top surgeons & accredited hospitals in India are some of the best & at par with western standards. IndianMedTrip is a one-stop online platform offering high-quality yet low cost medical treatments for international patients. Healthcare consultants associated with IndianMedTrip would be delighted to combine an exotic recuperative holiday for foreigners seeking leisure travel at reasonable costs to go along with their medical procedure.

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