Considering Penile Implants

[mmorris1128]

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post and I have no inhibitions about what I am about to discuss. In 1994 while still on Active duty I was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had it surgical removed. Of course, I was then impotent, but could still obtain an erection and could actually reach organism. However, over the years, I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes (very well controlled with AIC testing normal 5.0/5.1) in 2006. I had Asthma as a kid and it came back as well. Then in 2010 I had to have a Colorplast Advance mail sling implanted because I was tired of investing in pads and dribbling all over the place. It will tell that this is most painful surgery I have ever had and it took a year for the pain to go away. For the first 6 months, I felt like I was sitting on a broom stick. Six weeks into recovery from the mail sling implant, I developed Afib and ended up in the emergency room with a heart rate of 150. I then had two cardioversions and an ablation. The two cardioversions lasted about a week and the Ablation about 3 months. Then I was placed on a drug called Tikosyn to control my Afib and with adjustment of my other heart medicine, I have been good since two months ago. It turns out the AFib was initially caused by severe sleep apnea and I now use a CPAP. The final indignity of all was that I was prescribed was prescribed 900 mg of Ibuprofen for times a day for pain due to my sling surgery. This was a bad idea. We go Thanksgiving diner at our best friends each and every year. We finished came home and my wife want to go to the black Thursday sale at Walmart because she had never been to one. So we went (our local walmart is only two miles from our home) and we bought 3 items (nothing big) and then proceeded to checkout. I remember grabbing the shopping cart and then nothing until I woke up in the ER with a breathing tub down my throat. I had collapsed and apparently stop breathing, turned blue and had to be administered CPR by an off duty paramedic and two nurses from our biggest hospital. I spent a week in the hospital having every test imaginable and no cause was found, but the Ibuprofen was a suspect of interest. When I told my family care physician about what my urologist had prescribed, he simply stated very, very stupid.

Now that you know my total background, I am posting to this website. Starting about 2005, I started having problems getting an erection and reaching organism. As the years went along, it continued to get worse and by 2009, I was completely ED. My Penis now looks like an accordion closed shut. I cannot take oral medication because of my heart and I will not stick my penis with a needle just to get an erection. I have tried pumps, but with very unsatisfactory results. So I am now strongly consider Penile implant for my ED. I have done lot of internet research and have determined that it is a procedure for which you want your surgeon to have lots of experience (performing hundreds of such implants each year).

It appears to me that there are two penile implant products that are used a majority of the time - the AMS 700 LGX and the Coloplast Titan or Titan OTR. I have read the stories that many have posted and it appears that the physicians have adopted which ever product gets the best results (many have concluded that the new implants can be sized to as large as each individual can accept and that length may actually grow for 18 to 30 months after implantation). When I was able to look at a great looking women and get an erection, it was one to be proud of - 7 inches with a big circumcised head that was big and hard and made the skin shine.

I live in the Columbia SC area and will be looking for a urologist with lots of experience in doing such a procedure. I am willing to travel to Charleston, SC or Nashville TN (Dr. Milan) if necessary. I know if we travel we will have to spend a week in a hotel near the hospital. Fortunately, I have Medicare and Tricare for Life. It terms of the potential pain and recovery I am totally prepared for that (the implant of the sling was a great painful teacher. I will, of course, get my cardiologist's blessing before.

There appear to be two surgical techniques available. One where the incision is made on the bottom of the penis where it meets the scrotum and the other above the penis and scrotum. Both insert the cylinders, but the first method simply lifts the skin on the scrotum and pushes the pump into place while the second method inserts the reservoir and pump through the same incision. The first method seems to use the two part penile implant, while the second seems using the 3 piece implant. The brushing and pain from the first method seems to be a lot less than the second method.

So I want your opinions on which implant is better (AMS 700 LGX or Coloplast Titan/Titan OTR)? Second, if you have had penile implants what was post-op experiences based on the surgical method? Also, if you know a great doc in my area for penile implants, please let me know.

No pain - no gain.


Thanks for reading and feel free to ask questions for provide opinions or answers.

Mike

[rlm1818]

There appear to be two surgical techniques available. One where the incision is made on the bottom of the penis where it meets the scrotum and the other above the penis and scrotum. Both insert the cylinders, but the first method simply lifts the skin on the scrotum and pushes the pump into place while the second method inserts the reservoir and pump through the same incision. The first method seems to use the two part penile implant, while the second seems using the 3 piece implant. The brushing and pain from the first method seems to be a lot less than the second method.
Mike

"Three piece" implants are done both supra pubic and scrotal. All the components are placed through a single incision (in a few rare cases a second incision is needed for the reservoir, but that is usually due to special issues). Supra pubic is sometimes touted as "minimally invasive", but I was done scrotal and I don't see how it could possibly have been less invasive or an easier recovery. In the long run, there seems to be no difference. As far as immediate recovery, I'd say individual variations dwarf any differences in approach. Put another way, both methods produce easy recoveries for some, difficult recoveries for others.

[treifsnyder]

Most surgeons today can get it all done through 1 incision. I think infrapubic/scrotal is all the same- once it heals it doesn't matter how it was placed.
I think the Coloplast is better. My recommendation, given such favorable insurance, is go to either Dr. Kramer or Eid. They are the best in the country. TR

[inthezone]

Hi Morris,
First, I encourage you to keep up with the vacuum daily to keep the size you have and minimize atrophy.
Second, I've heard the Coloplast pump is easier to squeeze. I don't know how you're hand strength is, but there's a lot of posts on here about the AMS requiring "full normal hand strength." And the Coloplast pump is supposed to be easier to use.
In the 1990's people used to pump themselves up accidentally, but so far my AMS hasn't had that problem. The Coloplast claims that their prevention of accidental pumping as a major selling point.
As far as travelling for surgery: I hope you have someone reliable and dependable to travel with you, because I was in my Lazy Boy for a week straight!