Long-term experience with salvage of infected penile implants

The effectiveness of treating patients with an infected penile implant by removing the device, cleansing the wound with a series of antiseptic solutions and placing a new device at the same procedure was assessed.

A total of 65 patients were included in the study. All foreign material was removed from the infected wound followed by copious wound irrigations with a protocol of 7 antibacterial solutions. A new prosthesis was inserted and the patient was placed on antibiotics.

Followup ranged from 6 to 93 months. Recent status was determined in 85% of cases (55 of 65). Of the 55 patients 45 (82%) showed no sign of infection. In 5 patients recurrent infection was documented and in 5 others erosion of parts to the exterior possibly related to infection was noted.

Salvage of an infected penile implant has been successful and is gaining in popularity among urologists to reduce morbidity associated with infection.