Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review
  • Published:

Penile prosthesis implantation: past, present and future

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 20, pages 437–444 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Penile prosthesis implantation is the oldest effective treatment for erectile dysfunction. This review examines the past, present and future of penile prosthesis implantation. Advances in prosthetic design and implantation techniques have resulted today in devices that produce nearly normal flaccid and erect states, and have remarkable freedom from mechanical failure. The future of prosthetic design holds promises for even more improvements.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Beheri GE . Surgical treatment of impotence. Plast Reconstr Surg 1966; 38: 92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Loeffler RA, Sayegh ES . Perforated acrylic implants in management of organic impotence. J Urol 1960; 84: 559.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Stafford-Clark D . The etiology and treatment of impotence. Practitioner 1954; 172: 397.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Scott FB, Bradley WE, Timm GW . Management of erectile impotence: use of implantable inflatable prosthesis. Urology 1973; 2: 80–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Brindley GS . Cavernosal alpha-blockade: a new technique for investigating and treating erectile impotence. Br J Psychiatry 1983; 143: 332.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Virag R . Intracavernous injection of papaverine for erectile failure. Letter to the editor. Lancet 1982; 2: 938.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Goldstein I, Lue TF, Padma-Nathan H, Rosen RC, Steers WD, Wicker PA . Oral sildenafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Sildenafil Study Group [see comments] [published erratum appears in N Engl J Med 1998 Jul 2;339(1):59]. N Engl J Med 1998; 338: 1397–1404.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Goodwin WE, Scott WW . Phalloplasty. J Urol 1952; 68: 903.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Lash H . Silicone implant for impotence. J Urol 1968; 100: 709.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Pearman RO . Treatment of organic impotence by implantation of a penile prosthesis. J Urol 1967; 97: 716.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Pearman RO . Insertion of a silastic penile prosthesis for the treatment of organic sexual impotence. J Urol 1972; 107: 802–806.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Beheri GE . Beheri's operation for treatment of impotence-observations on 125 cases. Kasr el Aini J Surg 1960; 1: 390.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Beheri GE . The problem of impotence solved by a new surgical operation. Kasr el Aini J Surg 1960; 1: 50.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Fisher C, Schiavi RC, Edwards A, Davis DM, Reitman M, Fine J . Evaluation of nocturnal penile tumescence in the differential diagnosis of sexual impotence. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1979; 36: 431–437.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Furlow WL . Inflatable penile prosthesis: Mayo clinic experience with 175 patients. Urology 1979; 13: 166–171.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Kabalin JN, Kessler R . Five-year followup of the Scott inflatable penile prosthesis and comparison with semirigid penile prosthesis. J Urol 1988; 140: 1428–1430.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Malloy TR, Wein AJ, Carpiniello VL . Further experience with the inflatable penile prosthesis. J Urol 1979; 122: 478–480.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Merrill DC . Clinical experience with Scott inflatable penile prosthesis in 150 patients. Urology 1983; 22: 371–375.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Montague DK . Experience with semirigid rod and inflatable penile prostheses. J Urol 1983; 129: 967–968.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Small MP . Small–Carrion penile prosthesis: a report on 160 cases and review of the literature. J Urol 1978; 119: 365–368.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Small MP, Carrion HM, Gordon JA . Small-Carrion penile prosthesis: new implant for management of impotence. Urology 1975; 5: 479.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Finney RP . New hinged silicone penile implant. J Urol 1977; 118: 585–587.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Finney RP, Sharpe JR, Sadlowski RW . Finney hinged penile implant: experience with 100 cases. J Urol 1980; 124: 205–207.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Jonas U, Jacobi GH . Silicone-silver penile prosthesis: description, operative approach and results. J Urol 1980; 123: 865–867.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Dorflinger T, Bruskewitz R . AMS malleable penile prosthesis. Urology 1986; 28: 480–485.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Moul JW, McLeod DG . Experience with the AMS 600 malleable penile prosthesis. J Urol 1986; 135: 929–931.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Salama N . Satisfaction with the malleable penile prosthesis among couples from the Middle East—is it different from that reported elsewhere? Int J Impot Res 2004; 16: 175–180.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Huisman TK, Macintyre RC . Mechanical failure of Omniphase penile prosthesis. Urology 1988; 31: 515–516.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Levinson K, Whitehead ED . Omniphase penile prosthesis: delayed bilateral central cable breakage. J Urol 1989; 141: 618–619.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Hrebinko R, Bahnson RR, Schwentker FN, O’Donnell WF . Early experience with the Duraphase penile prosthesis. J Urol 1990; 143: 60–61.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Thompson IM, Rodriguez FR, Zeidman EJ . Experience with Duraphase penile prosthesis: its use as replacement device. Urology 1990; 36: 505–507.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Mulcahy JJ, Krane RJ, Lloyd LK, Edson M, Siroky MB . Duraphase penile prosthesis-results of clinical trials in 63 patients. J Urol 1990; 143: 518–519.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Finney RP . Flexi-flate penile prosthesis. Semin Urol 1986; 4: 244–246.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Stanisic TH, Dean JC . The flexi-flate and flexi-flate II penile prostheses. Urol Clin North Am 1989; 16: 39–49.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Stanisic TH, Dean JC, Donovan JM, Beutler LE . Clinical experience with a self-contained inflatable penile implant: the Flexi-Flate. J Urol 1988; 139: 947–950.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Fishman IJ . Experience with the hydroflex penile prosthesis. Semin Urol 1986; 4: 239–243.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Kabalin JN, Kessler R . Experience with the hydroflex penile prosthesis. J Urol 1989; 141: 58–59.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Mulcahy JJ . The hydroflex self-contained inflatable penile prosthesis: experience with 100 patients. J Urol 1988; 140: 1422–1423.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Anafarta K, Yaman O, Aydos K . Clinical experience with Dynaflex penile prostheses in 120 patients. Urology 1998; 52: 1098–1100.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Merrill DC . Mentor inflatable penile prostheses. Urol Clin North Am 1989; 16: 51–66.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Engel RME, Fein RL . Mentor GFS inflatable prosthesis. Urology 1990; 35: 405–406.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Fein RL . The G. F. S. mark II inflatable penile prosthesis. J Urol 1992; 147: 66–68.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Fallon B, Rosenberg S, Culp DA . Long-term followup in patients with an inflatable penile prosthesis. J Urol 1984; 132: 270–271.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Pereira Arias JG, Escobal Tamayo V, Marana Fernandez MT, Astobieta Odriozola A, Bernuy Malfaz C . [Penile prosthetic implant in the treatment of impotence: our experience]. Arch Esp Urol 1994; 47: 703–708.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Merrill DC . Mentor inflatable penile prosthesis. Urology 1983; 22: 504–505.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Goldstein I, Bertero EB, Kaufman JM, Witten FR, Hubbard JG, Fitch WP et al. Early experience with the first pre-connected 3-piece inflatable penile prosthesis: the Mentor Alpha-1. [see comments]. J Urol 1993; 150: 1814–1818.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Garber BB . Mentor Alpha 1 inflatable penile prosthesis: patient satisfaction and device reliability. Urology 1994; 43: 214–217.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Fathy A, Shamloul R, AbdelRahim A, Zeidan A, El-Dakhly R, Ghanem H . Experience with tube (Promedon) malleable penile implant. Urol Int 2007; 79: 244–247.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Subrini L . [Surgical treatment of virile impotence: intracavernous intubation]. J Urol Nephrol (Paris) 1973; 79: 647–653.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Subrini L . [A biomechanical study of flexible penile implants]. Ann Urol (Paris) 1993; 27: 192–196.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Subrini L . [Flexible penile implants in the restoration of erectile function]. Ann Urol (Paris) 1993; 27: 183–191.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Subrini L . [Flexible penile implants. An experience over 60 cases]. Ann Chir Plast Esthet 1994; 39: 15–26.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Ferguson KH, Cespedes RD . Prospective long-term results and quality-of-life assessment after Dura-II penile prosthesis placement. Urology 2003; 61: 437–441.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Kearse Jr WS, Sago AL, Peretsman SJ, Bolton JO, Holcomb RG, Reddy PK et al. Report of a multicenter clinical evaluation of the Dura-II penile prosthesis. J Urol 1996; 155: 1613–1616.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Levine LA, Estrada CR, Morgentaler A . Mechanical reliability and safety of, and patient satisfaction with the Ambicor inflatable penile prosthesis: results of a 2 center study. J Urol 2001; 166: 932–937.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Lux M, Reyes-Vallejo L, Morgentaler A, Levine LA . Outcomes and satisfaction rates for the redesigned 2-piece penile prosthesis. J Urol 2007; 177: 262–266.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Wilson SK, Henry GD, Delk Jr JR, Cleves MA . The mentor Alpha 1 penile prosthesis with reservoir lock-out valve: effective prevention of auto-inflation with improved capability for ectopic reservoir placement. J Urol 2002; 168: 1475–1478.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Montague DK, Jarow JP, Broderick GA, Dmochowski RR, Heaton JP, Lue TF, et al., Erectile Dysfunction Guideline Update Panel. Chapter 1: the management of erectile dysfunction: an AUA update. J Urol 2005; 174: 230–239.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Deuk Choi Y, Jin Choi Y, Hwan Kim J, Ki Choi H . Mechanical reliability of the AMS 700CXM inflatable penile prosthesis for the treatment of male erectile dysfunction. J Urol 2001; 165: 822–824.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Carson CC, Mulcahy JJ, Govier FE . Efficacy, safety and patient satisfaction outcomes of the AMS 700CX inflatable penile prosthesis: results of a long-term multicenter study. AMS 700CX Study Group. J Urol 2000; 164: 376–380.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Montorsi F, Rigatti P, Carmignani G, Corbu C, Campo B, Ordesi G et al. AMS three-piece inflatable implants for erectile dysfunction: a long-term multi-institutional study in 200 consecutive patients. Eur Urol 2000; 37: 50–55.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Daitch JA, Angermeier KW, Lakin MM, Ingleright BJ, Montague DK . Long-term mechanical reliability of AMS 700 series inflatable penile prostheses: comparison of CX/CXM and Ultrex cylinders. J Urol 1997; 158: 1400–1402.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Dubocq F, Tefilli MV, Gheiler EL, Li H, Dhabuwala CB . Long-term mechanical reliability of multicomponent inflatable penile prosthesis: comparison of device survival. Urology 1998; 52: 277–281.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Milbank AJ, Montague DK, Angermeier KW, Lakin MM, Worley SE . Mechanical failure of the American Medical Systems Ultrex inflatable penile prosthesis: before and after 1993 structural modification. J Urol 2002; 167: 2502–2506.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Goldstein I, Newman L, Baum N, Brooks M, Chaikin L, Goldberg K et al. Safety and efficacy outcome of Mentor Alpha-1 inflatable penile prosthesis implantation for impotence treatment. J Urol 1997; 157: 833–839.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Wilson SK, Cleves MA, Delk II JR . Comparison of mechanical reliability of original and enhanced Mentor Alpha I penile prosthesis. J Urol 1999; 162: 715–718.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Dhar NB, Angermeier KW, Montague DK . Long-term mechanical reliability of AMS 700CX/CXM inflatable penile prosthesis. J Urol 2006; 176: 2599–2601; discussion 2601.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Wilson SK, Delk JR, Salem EA, Cleves MA . Long-term survival of inflatable penile prostheses: single surgical group experience with 2384 first-time implants spanning two decades. J Sex Med 2007; 4: 1074–1079.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Carson III CC . Efficacy of antibiotic impregnation of inflatable penile prostheses in decreasing infection in original implants. J Urol 2004; 171: 1611–1614.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Carson CC . Initial success with AMS 700 series inflatable penile prosthesis with Inhibizone antibiotic surface treatment: a retrospective review of revision cases incidence and comparative results versus non-treated devices. J Urol 2004; 171: S894.

    Google Scholar 

  71. Wolter CE, Hellstrom JG . The hydrophilic-coated penile prosthesis: 1-year experience. J Sex Med 2004; 1: 221–224.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Kelly DA . Penises as variable-volume hydrostatic skeletons. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2007; 1101: 453–463.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  73. Simmons MN, Montague DK . Novel paradigms in penile prosthetic design. AUA Annual Meeting 2007, Vol 177, abstract no. 939, p 311.

  74. Seeman NC . At the crossroads of chemistry, biology, and materials: structural DNA nanotechnology. Chem Biol 2003; 10: 1151–1159.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. D K Montague: Study participant, American Medical Systems, Minnetonka, MN, USA.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Cleveland Clinic, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland, OH, USA

    M Simmons & D K Montague

Authors
  1. M Simmons
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D K Montague
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to D K Montague.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Simmons, M., Montague, D. Penile prosthesis implantation: past, present and future. Int J Impot Res 20, 437–444 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2008.11

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ijir.2008.11

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links