penile prosthesis

prosthesis /pros·the·sis/ (pros-the´sis) pl. prosthe´ses   [Gr.] an artificial substitute for a missing body part, such as an arm, leg, eye, or tooth; used for functional or cosmetic reasons or both.prosthet´ic

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penile prosthesis  a semirigid rod or inflatable device implanted in the penis to provide an erection for men with organic impotence.

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penile prosthesis

Etymology: L, penis + Gk, prosthesis, addition

a device that can be surgically implanted in the penis to treat erectile dysfunction. Some such devices have mechanisms that control production of an erection. Penile prostheses can be semirigid (maintaining a continuous state of erection) or inflatable plastic cavernosal cylinders attached to a pump that forces fluid from a reservoir into the cylinders, producing an erection.

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penile prosthesis

An FDA Class 3 medical device composed of silicone polymers designed to allow penile erection. See Erection.

Penile prosthesis types

Semirigid A sausage surrogate Pros << prone to infection and complications, eg mechanical failure Cons Equipment is always on standby, and may be difficult to conceal

Inflatable PI has a fluid reservoir that is surgically placed under the abdominal musculature, a pump in the scrotum, and inflatable cylinders in the penis; when 'yellow alert' goes to 'red alert', the Pt pumps up, transferring the fluid–usually saline into the cylinders; following appropriate use, the cylinders are emptied by means of a deflate button; of 500 reoperations for inflatable PIs, 64% required therapy for mechanical failure, 19% for surgical complications, and 10% for infections JAMA 1992; 267:2578mn&p

Intermediate A flexible cylinder; no moving parts; rises to the occasion by repeated compression of tip; 'at ease' achieved by bending device in half The Man's Health Book, M Oppenheim, Prentice-Hall, 1994

PIs have been available since 1973; ± 30 000 ♂ receive penile implants/year; the FDA receives ± 5000 complaints/year about PIs; most recipients are in their 50s and 60s, often the result of DM