[Current Developments and Strategies for Infection Prevention and Management in Penile Implant Surgery]

Penile prostheses have revolutionized the treatment of erectile dysfunction in men over the past 50 years, with implant infections remaining the most serious complication. Over the last 15 years, however, infection rates have declined substantially. This improvement is attributable to technological advances in implant design, particularly infection-retardant coatings, improved perioperative prophylactic concepts, and optimized patient selection based on identified risk factors. Modern surgical strategies such as the no-touch technique, tailored antibiotic and antifungal prophylactic regimens, and antiseptic irrigation protocols during revision procedures have contributed substantially to the reduction of postoperative infections. At the same time, the management of manifest implant infections has evolved: emergency explantations are now largely reserved for severe systemic infections, whereas targeted antimicrobial therapies followed by salvage surgery are increasingly being adopted. These developments enable a sustained reduction in infection-related complications associated with penile prosthesis implantation.