Maximising longevity of implant

[nick40]

Very interesting question

[Stewy78]

I'm 36 years old and have already undergone 3 revisions (4 surgeries). I had my first implant at 31 years old, so that's 4 surgeries in 5 years.

I am an avid cyclist, both mountain biking and road cycling, averaging about 200 km per week.

My first two implants were AMS CX. Both failed within 6 months due to defective pumps (later, a recall was issued for those pumps with specific serial numbers). During that year, I essentially never rode my bike, so the failure is definitely not related to my riding habits. It was due to the defective AMS pumps.

The third implant was a Titan Touch. It lasted almost 3 years, but the failure was due to a tubing fracture. It’s possible this could be related to cycling, but who knows? Many people here have experienced failures in even fewer years without engaging in cycling or other physical activities.

I am now on my fourth implant, still a Titan. I’m not giving up on my cycling habits.

I’ve always paid out of pocket for the procedures, as I live in Italy and don’t have insurance. Fortunately, money is not an issue for me. If it weren’t for the risk of infections with each surgery, I would continue with IPPs for future revisions. However, infections scare me a lot.

So, my plan is (also suggested by Hakky) to opt for a Coloplast Genesis for my next revision. He told me that it would be the best option if I want to continue cycling because it’s the most concealable among the malleable implants.

I’ve asked many doctors if cycling could be the cause of my previous Titan failure, but I’ve never received a definitive answer. I think cycling may contribute, but I’m also confident that there are many other factors involved.

The unfortunate thing is that implant manufacturers don’t seem to care about improving their products. Top surgeons have told me that they’ve repeatedly urged Coloplast to improve the tubing, which is the Achilles’ heel of their implants, but the company refuses to listen. Instead, they’ve reduced the lifetime warranty from lifetime to 10 years, and even as little as 5 years in my country. This clearly shows that it’s a market strategy to earn more money by taking advantage of people’s problems.

[nick40]

I would love to hear them too