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Subcutaneous Placement of Inflatable Penile Prosthesis Reservoirs
Bruce B Garber1, Michael Bickell2
1Division of Urology, Hahnemann University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
Objective:
To review our experience with subcutaneous inflatable penile prosthesis reservoir insertion in a large, single-surgeon series.
Materials And Methods:
We carried out a retrospective review of 1000 consecutive Coloplast Titan inflatable penile implant procedures carried out by a single high-volume surgeon. Eight patients underwent subcutaneous reservoir placement (SRP) and are the subject of this review.
Results:
Eight of our last 1000 patients underwent SRP. SRP was only employed in patients with a thick subcutaneous abdominal fat layer, which would be capable of concealing the reservoir. Seven patients recovered uneventfully, and none reported a palpable or visible reservoir. One patient, who had 5 prior penile implant procedures, developed peri-prosthetic infection, and required complete device removal. Reservoir removal in this obese patient was facilitated by the device's subcutaneous location.
Conclusion:
SRP is a viable option for carefully selected obese patients. We suggest that this approach only be utilized in those with high body mass index and a thick subcutaneous abdominal fat layer. In thinner patients, the reservoir will be visible and/or palpable; we do not recommend subcutaneous placement under those circumstances.
