Early problems encountered with the Mentor inflatable penile prosthesis

We present 9 consecutive patients who underwent insertion of the Mentor inflatable penile prosthesis. Of these patients 3 had successful results after repeated problems with the Scott inflatable penile prosthesis. Complications included spontaneous inflation of the prosthesis, a tubing kink, aneurysmal cylinder ballooning and cylinder disruption. Slow deflation seems to be an inherent problem with the Mentor system. Although penile squeezing may be used to help deflation, traumatic urethritis may occur. However, concealment may not be possible without such squeezing. Interim use of a noninflatable prosthesis to treat a damaged corpus cavernosum is recommended. Although ingenious technology has enabled successful implant surgery, no penile prosthesis yet devised has proven to be ideal. Further refinements are being made. Ultimate evaluation will require years of followup in the spirit of the pre-700 series of Scott inflatable penile prostheses.