Penile implants: a modern method of treating erectile dysfunction

17 May 2017

As many as four million Poles may experience problems related to erectile dysfunction. The causes include urological or hormonal disorders, and very often - hypertension and diabetes. For patients who have not had satisfactory results using other methods, penile implants may be the solution.

Erectile dysfunction refers to the permanent inability to achieve or maintain an erection. In Poland, this problem concerns a wide range of men, with only a small percentage seeking help from a specialist.

In our society, erectile problems are a taboo subject. Men do not want to admit that it concerns them. The truth is, however, that about four million Poles suffer from erectile dysfunction. Most often they are men over the age of 40. Erectile dysfunction is not a disease but a symptom of various illnesses. A very large group are patients who suffer from hypertension and diabetes. It's usually men who have a blood circulation disorder.

Doctor Marek Filipek, Head of the Medical Team at the HIFU CLINIC Prostate Cancer Treatment Centre

We must therefore seek the cause of the problem in coexistent diseases, such as urological disorders, elevated cholesterol, overweight or obesity, hypertension, diabetes and hormonal disorders.

One solution for erectile dysfunction is a penile implant.

It applies to men with erectile dysfunction in whom other methods - psychological, pharmacological, RENOVA LSWT shock wave therapy, or penile injections have failed to produce the desired results.

Implantation of the prosthesis takes place during surgery, under general anaesthesia. The procedure must be preceded by an anaesthesia consultation. The patient is usually discharged home five days after surgery, and after about six weeks can start regular sexual intercourse.

There are three types of penile implants. The first – a semi-rigid rod, is an implant made of hardened core and plastic, neutral to the human body. With this prosthesis the penis stays permanently in the state of half-erection. The second option is a semi-rigid hydraulic prosthesis that retains the natural build of the penis in both flaccid and erect states.

The natural appearance of the penis is ensured by the ZSI 475 multi-component hydraulic implant. This solution is specifically designed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. The implant is built of three connected elements implanted into a man's body.

The implant consists of two cylinders fitted to the patient's cavernous bodies, which are inserted into the penis, a reservoir implanted near the bladder, and a pump secured in the scrotum. Pressing the pump causes an erection that can last until the pump mechanism is released. Typically, the ZSI 475 Implant is ready for use 8 weeks after implantation.

Doctor Marek Filipek, Head of the Medical Team at the HIFU CLINIC Prostate Cancer Treatment Centre

Penile implant surgery is highly effective – about 90-95 percent of implanted prostheses result in a satisfactory erection. The topic of erectile dysfunction is discussed in the latest episode of TVN Style "Secrets of Doctors". In the program specialists from the HIFU Clinic and Medicover Hospital - Drs Marek Filipek, Jerzy Czyż and Stefan Czarniecki performed the procedure of selecting and securing the penile prosthesis. This is a plastic surgery that may precede the implant.