Penile prostheses are semirigid or inflatable devices that are implanted into penises to alleviate impotence. The penis is composed of one channel for urine and semen and three compartments with tough, fibrous walls containing "erectile tissue." With appropriate stimulation, the blood vessels that lead out of these compartments constrict, trapping blood. Blood pressure fills and hardens the compartments producing an erection of sufficient firmness to perform sexual intercourse. Additional stimulation leads to ejaculation, where semen is pumped out of the urethra. When this system fails, impotence (failure to create and maintain an erection) occurs.

Impotence can be caused by a number of conditions, including diabetes, spinal cord injury, prolonged drug abuse, and removal of a prostate gland. If the medical condition is irreversible, a penile prosthesis may be considered. Patients whose impotence is caused by psychological problems are not recommended for implant surgery.

Penile implant surgery...