Question about durability of implant..

[edsince18]

Dr.Eid says average implant will last 8~12 years on his site.
However, some medical papers say that the 15-year survival rate of implants is about 70%.
 
If the 15-year survival rate is 70%, Shouldn't the average duration be over 15 years?
Is my math calculation wrong? Or are the papers exaggerating implant's survival rate?

[Gt1956]

Dr.Eid says average implant will last 8~12 years on his site.
However, some medical papers say that the 15-year survival rate of implants is about 70%.
 
If the 15-year survival rate is 70%, Shouldn't the average duration be over 15 years?
Is my math calculation wrong? Or are the papers exaggerating implant's survival rate?

Some of the newer models haven't been out for a long time. My guess is that you're running in to a statistic difference between many of the older models & the anticipated life span of the newer models.

[Lost Sheep]

Depends on the statistical distribution of the data collected and also the selection criteria.

(These numbers below are COMPLETELY made up and likely bear no relationship to reality).
Say, for instance, 20% of implants fail in the first two months and the other 80% last 9 years, that is an average service life of 7.23 years. (2 implants x 2 months = 4 months plus 8 implants x 108 months = 864 months , total of 868 months of service on 10 implants. 86.8 months per implant on average or 7.23 years.

If 10% fail in two months and 90% last 9 years, that is an average service life of 8.12 years.
If 5% fail in two months and 95% last 9 years, that is an average service life of 8.56 years.


That is only if you take the failed implants. But if you take all implants currently in service, those that have not failed will skew the service life.

On the other hand, if you take all the failed implants, but exclude the all the implants older than some arbitrary date (because their older technology may skew the average), you get a different result.

And my figures are calculated on months of service per implant. If you measure longevity in some other way, the numbers will be different.

Statistics can be easily manipulated.

What you REALLY (in my opinion) want to know is what to do to keep your brand new implant in working order as long as possible, right?

The service life of all brand-new implants manufactured (or implanted) between today and tomorrow is what you would LIKE to know, but that is unknowable.

My biggest concern when studying up on implants was which (CURRENT design) implants were expected to have the longer service life (no matter what statistical method was used) and what modes of failure were most problematic, especially for revision (e.g. replacing the pump is easier than replacing the implant itself).

[RayChez]

This is a question which is asked all the time, and the answer is that it is different on every person. I am a good example of that. First lasted 15 years, second lasted only twenty months pump failure, and the third is still working perfect. But they are mechanical pumps and they can fail, other factors can also occur. But I will say that an implant will make you feel like a man again. When you lose that tool, it was very depressing for me. So I highly recommend it to any man that suffers from ED.

[dirtman1993]

I either have sex or masturbate almost everyday. Found two studies that show older guys who masturbate at least 21 times a month have a better chance of not getting prostate cancer. So far so good as my PSA is lower now then two years ago. Hope it stay low.

[Gt1956]

Don't forget that some men don't out live their implant or lose their partner. So many factors to consider that my head spins just thinking about it. 15 years is a long time. I'd take that chance.

[Lost Sheep]

Don't forget that some men don't out live their implant or lose their partner. So many factors to consider that my head spins just thinking about it. 15 years is a long time. I'd take that chance.

I forgot about that fact.

So the original question may be asked two ways.

What is the average service life of an implant (calculated by when either the implant expires or its owner expires)?

What is the age of the service life of an implant when IT fails (counting only those implantw outlived by their owners)?

[SW0110]

It might be my age at 57 but if this thing malfunctioned tonight I would be at a doc tomorrow. The past 5 months have been so much better than the previous almost 3 years.

If they could not fix it i would be no worse off than i was 5 months ago. Pretty much a platonic relationship with my wife. Sex is not everything but it is pretty darn good. I am going to use this thing till it wears out then get another one if possible then another one, then another, till they tell me no more.

Then back to platonic relationship.

[SW0110]

It might be my age at 57 but if this thing malfunctioned tonight I would be at a doc tomorrow. The past 5 months have been so much better than the previous almost 3 years.

If they could not fix it i would be no worse off than i was 5 months ago. Pretty much a platonic relationship with my wife. Sex is not everything but it is pretty darn good. I am going to use this thing till it wears out then get another one if possible then another one, then another, till they tell me no more.

Then back to platonic relationship. But I plan on wearing each one of these out till then.