Evaluating long-term outcomes after penile prosthesis implant

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of penile implants long-term. This study found that almost half of the patients were still using the device with high satisfaction at 20 years.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse. It can be caused by several medical reasons. However, sometimes there is no identifiable cause. Hydraulic penile prostheses can be a treatment option. These are devices placed inside the penis to allow men with ED to get an erection. It is unknown how effective they are long term. 

This study included 149 patients who received a penile implant. 51 patients were followed up for an average of 206 months and were included in the analysis. They filled out questionnaires about their quality of life. 

At 20-year follow-up, 41% of the patients were still using the device. At an average of 17 years, 60% of patients were using the implants. These patients found that the devices were effective and had a positive effect on their quality of life. 24 patients (49%) experienced complications during follow-up. These included failure of the implant, pain, and difficulty in orgasm. Weight, cause of ED or age were not associated with failure of the implant.

This study found that 60% of patients were still using the device with high satisfaction and adequate QoL at an average of 17 years.

There was a low response rate for the telephone interviews and there was a relatively small number of patients are the main limitations. Larger studies are needed for stronger evidence.