Abdominoplasty in patient with penile implant

In the United States, one third of adult men are obese (BMI > 30 kg/m²) and profound sexual dysfunction is quite common in them. Penile prostheses have proved to be an effective and widespread therapeutic option, with approximately 30,000 devices implanted annually worldwide.

A 54-year-old weight-loss male patient came to our practice for body contouring. Upon admission we discovered the presence of a three-piece inflatable prosthesis, placed many years before.

We decided to perform an abdominoplasty plus pubic lift supported by ultrasound in order to better localize the implant reservoir, to exclude tractions or distortions of the connecting system or pump damage, and also to locate and draw the corresponding new position of the reservoir and the pump on the skin.

Our case reminded us that we should always suspect the presence of penile prostheses in bariatric patients in order to avoid intraoperative damage and subsequent medicolegal problems. Their precise detection is crucial and ultrasound is a safe, inexpensive, and useful method for accurate pre-, intra-, and postoperative localization of genital prostheses.