A Vacuum Erection Device/VED/penis pump should be used before and after surgery by essentially everyone.

[crazyjoe]

2435 -- I don't disagree with anything you said -- you said it better than me. As for monitoring my size, I'm almost OCD in checking it to make sure it is still maxed out

[OregonStrong]

In my personal experience with a VED, I used it for awhile pre-op and regained size post-op. But 2+ years in, I find no additional gain from using it. My length seems to have peaked out -- and at a size I am satisfied with. And I find that if I don't use it for awhile, my size does not decrease. I do cycle quite often and feel that it helps with size stability.
So for me, there has been a diminishing effect with my VED and, while I appreciate all the improvements it has given me, I do not plan to use it further.

One benefit with using one not mentioned, is that it helps blood flow into the glans and what remaining corpora/corpus spongiosum tissue that you may still have left. That blood flow is good for penis health, to prevent tissue atrophy over time, especially since we no longer can get the same amount of blood flow into those tissues as when we were younger and had a normal erection. Using mine daily I feel my glans and overall penis looks and feels healthy and similar to when I was younger.

[crazyjoe]

Good point -- personally I use Cialis and Misoprostol for glans engorgement -- those help in bringing blood to my glans and have an ongoing effect. To each his own.

[Rodsmen]

So you guys only pump it up to 5-7hg? I go 10-15 to get the full effect -- and no damage so far except occasional edema ,which resolves in a day or 2. I am puzzled by this difference from you guys. Can someone help me understand? Many thanks

I'd be curious at how accurate your gage is. The gages that I've see sure look pretty cheap. At 5hg I've gotten edema. Even had a 1/4" blood blister on my head. I can't imagine what 15hg would do to me.
I'd suggest buying a new gage for safey's sake. At least you'd either know or confirm how much vacuum you're really getting.

I have several pumps (because I keep outgrowing them in length, girth, or both), and their vacuum readings and how it feels to my dick is consistent. I use 15hg now, since I am close to my implant date of 11/29, and time is running out. Has anyone’s doctor told them when they should stop pumping before surgery, or can I do it the morning of surgery (perhaps less aggresively)?

[Gt1956]

So you guys only pump it up to 5-7hg? I go 10-15 to get the full effect -- and no damage so far except occasional edema ,which resolves in a day or 2. I am puzzled by this difference from you guys. Can someone help me understand? Many thanks

I'd be curious at how accurate your gage is. The gages that I've see sure look pretty cheap. At 5hg I've gotten edema. Even had a 1/4" blood blister on my head. I can't imagine what 15hg would do to me.
I'd suggest buying a new gage for safey's sake. At least you'd either know or confirm how much vacuum you're really getting.

I have several pumps (because I keep outgrowing them in length, girth, or both), and their vacuum readings and how it feels to my dick is consistent. I use 15hg now, since I am close to my implant date of 11/29, and time is running out. Has anyone’s doctor told them when they should stop pumping before surgery, or can I do it the morning of surgery (perhaps less aggresively)?

Carefull on your hopes. There is some good arguements that even if you "external" length does get longer. That it is merely pulling you erectile tissue out of your cruz. So when you're measured on the table. There is a chance that you might only be marginally longer than you should of been.

As for your last VED use. Drs are observant. If they see any tissue damage internally. Damage that you can't see. They might just close you up & wheel you to recovery. The most frequent last VED date that I recall seeing was either 1 or 2 weeks.

[riseagain]

Yes, stop at least a week before surgery. Sounds like you are to aggressive going up to 15hg. That is a lot of pressure. You may want to stop 2 weeks before, just to heal up inside.

[Rodsmen]

I asked my doctor how close to surgery I could and should use the pump. He said the night before. I used it VERY aggressively the last few weeks, literally going to the max for several 10 minute sessions a day. I am at day 8 now, and the surgery went picture-perfect smoothy.

[Rodsmen]

I used one before surgery. Useless.

No way I would use one after. Everyone concerned about the longevity of the implant, then put it under stress with a device unproven to work. What science are you following? Oh, it worked for me science?

Yet you’re free to do what you want.

I gained considerably by using a VED before surgery. My doctor approves of it after too, although he says few feel the need to do it. It seems to me that it could stretch the glans off the tips of the implant, or at least pull out partially. That's really my only concern, but then again I'm only at day 8.

[HikerMan]

Use a VED before surgery. Here's why:

When pre-operative VED is used, SPL could increase by a
mean of 0.80
0.38 cm. In addition, the surgeon is provided
with better opportunity to restore longer penile length that replicates
an appearance more consistent with the patient’s natural
erection. Ease of corporal dilation allows for an appropriate size
cylinder to be inserted, and thus helps to maximize patient satisfaction
post-operatively. There were no negative intraoperative
complications associated with the use of pre-operative VED, and
therefore, if patients have access to it, VEDs can safely be recommended.
Future studies among larger samples will help assess
the long-term outcomes and outline the role of VED as a valuable
intervention prior to PP implantation.

Canguven, O., Talib, R. A., Campbell, J., De Young, L., El Ansari, W., & Al-Ansari, A. (2017). Is the daily use of vacuum erection device for a month before penile prosthesis implantation beneficial? A randomized controlled trial. Andrology, 5(1), 103–106. https://doi.org/10.1111/andr.12258

Use a VED after surgery too. Here's why:

Penile shortening after inflatable penile prosthesis placement for erectile dysfunction is a common postoperative patient complaint and can reduce overall satisfaction with the procedure. In this prospective study we report our results regarding penile dimensions and patient satisfaction outcomes after 1 year of follow-up from AMSTMLGX700® penile prosthesis implant with 6 months of vacuum erectile device therapy. Seventy-four selected patients with medically refractory erectile dysfunction underwent AMSTM LGX 700® IPP placement. Postoperatively, patients were assigned vacuum device therapy for 5 min twice daily. Follow-up continued for 1 year after surgery. Dimensional and functional results were assessed. Baseline median preoperative stretched penile length and girth were 14 cm (range 10-17) and 9 cm (range 7-12), respectively. At the end of the study penile median dimensional outcomes were 17 cm (range 13-23) for length and 11 cm (range 10-13) for girth while a median number of 24 pumps (range 18–29) to fully inflate the device was seen. Baseline median International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) score was 9 (range 5-11), at 6 months 20 (range 18-26) and at 1 year was 25 (range 20-27) (p<0.0001). Median Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction (EDITS) score at the end of the follow-up was 74 (range 66–78). Our postoperative rehabilitation program is feasible and should be recommended after prothesis surgery in order to increase overall satisfaction with the procedure. Penile postoperative dimensional outcomes were statistically significant improved and complications were negligible.

Antonini, G., De Berardinis, E., Busetto, G. M., Del Giudice, F., Chung, B. I., Conti, S. L., Ferro, M., Musi, G., Fragas, R., De Cobelli, O., Sperduti, I., Gross, M. S., & Perito, P. E. (2020). Postoperative vacuum therapy following AMSTM LGX 700® inflatable penile prosthesis placement: Penile dimension outcomes and overall satisfaction. International Journal of Impotence Research, 32(1), 133–139. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-019-0125-z

It is interesting reading these forums how many of you cite how one doctor said to do this and one doctor said to do that. Honestly, that's not the only way we learn things anymore. The research is consistent that a VED should be used to allow your penis to return to its original size. Your current sizes after years of erectile dysfunction and aging are not relevant to this situation, because this study refers to average sized penises pre-implant.

It's my opinion you should believe the research and by science, not by what Doctor John L. told you. My doctor told me a VED wouldn't do me any good. What I realized after two months is that it won't do me any bad either. It's helped since then.

If your doctor tells you specific reasons your penis cannot safely use a VED, consider not using one. What my admittedly uneducated (but fairly well researched) brain can safely argue is that your penis is gonna be able to survive a VED - for one, the research says it will, and for two, over the past tens of thousands of years, dicks have been through much worse than damn penis pumps. Your dick will thank you if you do.

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Editing into this post in early January 2023 to add these two sources that I think are worth reading for anyone out there who wants to learn first...

This is how they work:

VED, which are traditionally a closed end plastic cylinder placed over the penis, use negative pressure via a battery or hand-operated vacuum suction to increase penile blood flow via distension of corporal sinusoids. This negative pressure subsequently induces arterial blood flow into the sinusoidal spaces of cavernosal tissues. Doppler studies have shown nearly a 2-fold increase in cavernosal artery diameter with use of VED.¹ Notably, VED can stimulate oxygenation of corpora without need for an intact nerve supply, a benefit vs pharmacological options for erectile dysfunction such as PDEi-5.

Mehr, J., Santarelli, S., Green, T. P., Beetz, J., Panuganti, S., & Wang, R. (2022). Emerging Roles of Penile Traction Therapy and Vacuum Erectile Devices. Sexual Medicine Reviews, 10(3), 421–433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sxmr.2021.12.003

Here's why they're safe:

The vacuum erection device (VED) is the oldest therapy used for male sexual function among all approved modalities. It was introduced for erectile dysfunction (ED) nearly 150 years ago, cleared by U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1982 and adopted by American Urological Association (AUA) in 1996 as a standard of care.¹ Significant amount of clinic evidence has proven the effectiveness of VED for ED since the early 1980s.

Wang, R. (2022). Is There Still a Role for Vacuum Erection Devices in Contemporary Sexual Medicine? The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 19(5), 682–685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2022.02.013

Use a VED and show me how I'm wrong.

To anyone concerned.
My Doctor actually gave a tele-conferance regarding VED's
It's about an hour long, but he covers ALOT of ground regarding this issue.

Hope this helps someone.
https://youtu.be/uIwKd_4xdZ4?si=kJrSY9yJ7Og4u37z

[slimdawg]

which implant do you have? and you gained all that after the penile implant surgery? also, which penis pump do you have and how long did it take to gain inches after penile implant surgery?