Inflatable penile prosthesis malfunction after prostatic urethral lift.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Devices
• Surgical Complications

Background:

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is common in older men.
• Organic erectile dysfunction (ED) often requires treatment with inflatable penile prostheses (IPPs).
• Prostatic urethral lift (PUL) is a minimally invasive BPH treatment.

Observation:

• A 70-year-old male with a history of IPP implantation for ED underwent PUL for BPH.
• Following PUL, the patient experienced a malfunction of his IPP.
• Surgical intervention was required for IPP removal and replacement.

Findings:

• A pinhole defect was discovered in the IPP reservoir during explantation.
• The defect was attributed to iatrogenic injury from the PUL procedure.
• This suggests a potential complication of performing PUL after IPP implantation.

Implications:

• The findings suggest a need to reconsider the surgical sequence of PUL and IPP implantation.
• Performing PUL before IPP placement may mitigate the risk of reservoir injury.
• This case underscores the importance of considering device interactions in urological procedures.