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Urinary Health

Penile Pump Implants: A Long-Term Solution?

Summary & Participants

Since its invention, the internal penile pump has helped over 250,000 men suffering from erectile dysfunction. Choosing this option is a major decision and many are concerned about its long-term effects. Join our panel of doctors, patients and a partner as they share their post-operation experiences with the penile pump.

Medically Reviewed On: June 27, 2008

Webcast Transcript

DAVID R. MARKS, MD: The actual mechanics of it, though, when you have to actually fill the chambers when you use the pump, does it interfere with the flow of sex?

JOHN'S PARTNER: No.

DAVID R. MARKS, MD: Do you incorporate it into the process?

JOHN: I really don't feel that your partner has to even be aware. I know patients that have not told their partners that they have the pump, and it's very, very difficult to tell if you're not sharing that.

DAVID R. MARKS, MD: Jim, how about you? How satisfied are you?

JIM: Very much so. I have a very normal sex life. Before the operation, it's the same, and everything's fine.

DAVID R. MARKS, MD: François, how does this compare to some of the other treatments that are available for erectile dysfunction?

J. FRANÇOIS EID, MD: It's the only treatment that restores sexual spontaneity. I think I should say that first, because if you take Viagra you have to plan ahead. If you want Viagra to be effective, you have to take it on an empty stomach, so it becomes a problem, it becomes a scheduling problem when you want to have sex. If you do the penile injections, you have to, again, excuse yourself, go to the bathroom, give yourself a shot, so you have to plan.

DAVID R. MARKS, MD: Have people looked at patients who have had these implants over the long term and studied how satisfied they are?

J. FRANÇOIS EID, MD: Yes, there has been a multi-institutional study that looked at patients who were operated on in different centers across the United States, and they followed the patients for, I think it was six to seven years, and they found that the devices had an incredible reliability. Over 80% of these devices were lasting over five years, and the patients were extremely satisfied. But they also went further than that, and they asked the partner, and some of the partners, the satisfaction rate with the partner was actually higher than the patient himself.

DAVID R. MARKS, MD: There must be some downside to the procedure.

J. FRANÇOIS EID, MD: Every procedure may have side effects. Taking a pill has side effects. The side effects are infection and malfunction. With the experienced surgeon, these side effects are extremely unlikely. For example, in our group of patients, our infection rate is really well below 1%, so it's really less than half a percent, and the malfunction rate is about 2 to 3% at eight years, so it's extremely small.

DAVID R. MARKS, MD: John, tell me, you were satisfied how quickly? I mean, I know you are very satisfied now. How long did it take you to actually become satisfied, to become comfortable with the device? It is different than the way you were before. It takes a little more effort, I would assume.

JOHN: I was very cognizant of it, probably, the first six weeks, if that.

DAVID R. MARKS, MD: "Cognizant" meaning what? That you felt it, or mentally?

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