How Penis Implants Work

About Penis Implants

Penis, or penile, implants are mechanical devices used to treat erectile dysfunction and, in some cases, Peyronie's disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, most men with ED respond well to medication or the use of an external penis pump. Penile implants are usually considered a last resort, when other treatments fail. Penile implants require surgery, and there is risk of infection and malfunction. Penis pumps are also permanent: Once a man has an implant, he will not be able to have an erection if the implant is removed. There have been several advances in implant technology, including new materials and surgical procedures. There are two major types of implant--semi-rigid rods and either two-piece or three-piece inflatable cylinders.

Implant Surgery

In all instances the surgeon puts the patient under general anesthesia. He then makes an incision below the head of the penis. The surgeon stretches the spongy tissue of the penis, flushes the area with antibiotic and inserts one implant rod or two cylinders inside the penis. If the surgeon is implanting a two-piece inflatable device, he will make an incision and insert a pump into the scrotum. For a three-piece device he will also make an incision in the abdomen and insert a fluid reservoir in the abdominal wall.

Semi-Rigid Rods

Semi-rigid rods are always firm and work by allowing the man to manually extend his penis for sex. When he is not having sex, he can bend his penis back toward his body. Semi-rigid rods are less common than inflatable implants, but they are also less complicated, less costly, require less surgery and have less risk for failure. The downside is that the penis is always slightly rigid, thus making it harder to conceal under certain clothing, and the constant pressure on the inside of the penis may cause tissue damage.

Two-Piece and Three-Piece Inflatable Implants

Both two-piece and three-piece implants are more common in the U.S. because they create more natural erections and reduce the risk of tissue damage from constant pressure on the penis. Inflatable implants use fluid from a special reservoir to inflate the device. In two-piece units the pump and reservoir are both located in the scrotum. In three-piece devices, the pump is in the scrotum and the fluid reservoir is in the abdomen. Before sex, the man pumps fluid into the cylinders, and after sex he hits a release valve in the scrotum to return the fluid to the reservoir. Inflatable implants require more extensive surgery than semi-rigid designs, and the surgery is more expensive. The two-piece device makes the scrotum look bulkier because it houses both the pump and the reservoir. The three-piece device requires an abdominal incision and is the most expensive and extensive surgery.