Risk factors associated with penile prosthesis infection

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Infectious Disease

Background:

• Penile prosthetic implantation is a common treatment for erectile dysfunction.
• Prosthetic infection is a significant complication, leading to device removal and patient dissatisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the infection rate of penile prostheses over a 10-year period.
• To identify risk factors for penile prosthesis infection.
• To evaluate the impact of strict surgical techniques and perioperative protocols on infection rates.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 269 patients undergoing penile prosthetic implantation over 10 years.
• Analysis of infection rates, risk factors, and outcomes.
• Standardized surgical protocol including perioperative antibiotics, intraoperative shave, and skin preparation.

Main Results:

• A low infection rate of 1.9% (6 out of 269 patients) was observed.
• All infected patients had a history of urinary tract infections (UTIs), with predisposing conditions like neurogenic bladder, diabetes, or ileal conduit.
• Infected prostheses cultures revealed enteric organisms, not staphylococci.

Conclusions:

• Strict surgical techniques, intraoperative measures, and perioperative antibiotics significantly reduce penile prosthesis infection rates.
• Patients with a history of UTIs or conditions predisposing to UTIs remain at elevated risk for infection despite precautions.