Experience with semirigid rod and inflatable penile prostheses

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Surgical Technology
• Medical Device Evaluation

Background:

• Penile prostheses are used to treat erectile dysfunction.
• Different types of penile prostheses exist, including semirigid rods and inflatable devices.
• Surgical approach and device design can influence complication rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the complication rates and revision requirements for different types of penile prostheses implanted between 1975 and 1980.
• To compare outcomes between semirigid rod prostheses and inflatable penile prostheses.
• To assess the impact of surgical incision site on inflatable penile prosthesis outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 169 patients who received penile prostheses (Small-Carrion, Finney, Jonas, Scott) from 1975-1980.
• Categorization of prostheses into semirigid rod and inflatable types.
• Analysis of complication data, specifically urethral erosion and surgical revisions, based on prosthesis type and surgical approach (lower abdominal vs. scrotal incision).

Main Results:

• 48 patients received semirigid rod prostheses, with urethral erosion as the sole complication.
• 121 patients received inflatable prostheses.
• Of the inflatable prostheses, the first 70 implanted via a lower abdominal incision required 63 revisions in 34 patients; the subsequent 51 implanted via a scrotal incision with rear tip extenders required only 4 revisions.

Conclusions:

• Semirigid rod penile prostheses are associated with a low complication rate.
• Inflatable penile prostheses implanted via a lower abdominal incision have a high revision rate.
• Scrotal incision and the use of rear tip extenders appear to reduce the revision rate for inflatable penile prostheses.