Penile implant surgery-managing complications

Fac Rev. 2021 Sep 24:10:73. doi: 10.12703/r/10-73. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Penile prosthesis surgery represents the end-stage treatment for erectile dysfunction. It is conventionally used only in cases of erectile dysfunction refractory to pharmacological treatments or vacuum constriction devices. Contemporary literature suggests that penile prothesis surgery is associated with a high satisfaction rate and a low complication profile. However, it must be appreciated that the complications of surgery can have devastating consequences on a patient's quality of life and satisfaction and include infection, prosthesis malfunction, penile corporal perforation and penile length loss. Several factors - such as appropriate patient selection, methodical preoperative assessment and patient optimization, specific intraoperative protocols and postoperative recommendations - can reduce the risk of surgical complications. This narrative review discusses the diagnosis and management of both intraoperative and postoperative complications of penile prosthesis surgery.

Keywords: Penile implantation; erectile dysfunction surgery; glans ischemia; glans necrosis; inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP); instrumentation; penile prosthesis; preoperative care; prosthesis implantation; prosthesis-related infections; reoperation; risk factors; salvage therapy; urethra.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

The authors declare that no grants were involved in supporting this work.