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The last survivor of unitary and two-piece inflatables—the Ambicor. Does it still have a role in today’s implant marketplace?

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 34, pages 511–519 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

The history of the development of today’s very dependable three-piece inflatable penile prostheses is fascinating. In its infancy, the three piece was plagued with frequent revisions and a relatively complex insertion and consequently unitary and two-piece prostheses flourished with the implanting urologists. While the surgery was less difficult because these devices did not require the dreaded reservoir insertion, they often proved unsatisfactory to patients in flaccidity, erection and longevity. By the turn of this century all of the unitary and two-piece inflatables had been withdrawn from the market except the Ambicor two-piece inflatable penile prosthesis. This paper covers the history of the various unitary and 2-piece inflatable models before examining a critical question: is the Ambicor 2-piece still a needed implant today?

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Fig. 1: The Hydroflex/Dynaflex unitary inflatable prosthesis.
Fig. 2: Unitary inflatables malfunction.
Fig. 3: The Flexiflate unitary inflatable.
Fig. 4: The Uniflate 1000 2-piece inflatable (1983).
Fig. 5: Mentor 2-piece inflatable implants.
Fig. 6: AMS Ambicor 2-piece inflatable prosthesis.
Fig. 7: Ambicor problems.
Fig. 8: Ambicor replace with 3-piece prostheses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA

    John J. Mulcahy

  2. Men’s Health Center, Urology of Indiana, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Alexander Tatem

  3. Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Lexiaochuan Wen

  4. Department of Urology, Institute for Urologic Excellence, La Quinta, CA, USA

    Steven K. Wilson

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  1. John J. Mulcahy
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  2. Alexander Tatem
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Correspondence to Alexander Tatem.

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Conflict of interest

JJM Consultant: Boston Scientific, Coloplast. AT: Consultant: Boston Scientific, Coloplast, Endo. LW: none. SKW: Consultant AMT, Coloplast, International Medical Devices, Uramix. Lecturer Boston Scientific.

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Mulcahy, J.J., Tatem, A., Wen, L. et al. The last survivor of unitary and two-piece inflatables—the Ambicor. Does it still have a role in today’s implant marketplace?. Int J Impot Res 34, 511–519 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-00367-7

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