Men's Sexual Health Section

Like a rock

Penile implants offer a hard and fast solution to ED sufferers

By Carla Sparks

The sheer mention of penile implants would cause most men to strike a protective pose and shrink from the thought. But those who have them feel quite the opposite, claiming they boost the ego � among other things...

Erectile dysfunction (ED) has been getting a lot of press lately as the stigma once associated with it fades amidst the advertising bombardment for anti-impotence drugs and devices. Even Bob Dole's come out of the impotence closet.

With three different drugs on the market and many more therapeutic treatments in the pipeline few would think that penile implants would be an option many men would consider. The men who opt for penile prosthetics have usually tried all the other treatments, don't respond to popular drugs and are at the end of their ED tether.

THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT
The implants are a brainchild of 1970s science. They weren't conceived to add length or girth to the penis, but rather to enable a man to sustain an erection so he can have intercourse. A surgical procedure is required to implant and conceal the prosthesis. They do work but have some rather obvious drawbacks.

Here's a rundown of the types of implants on the market today:
•Semi-rigid malleable rods: The easiest to use, this implant consists of two bendable rods in the penis, resulting in a permanent erection � the most obvious side effect. The penis is simply straightened out when the man's ready to have sex. Although the penis can be bent down during 'down time' the manufacturers warn it may show through tighter pants.
•Two-piece inflatable implants: Slightly more complicated, this device consists of an inflatable cylinder inserted into the corpora cavernosa and a small pump placed in the scrotum. When he's ready, all a man has to do is to gently squeeze the pump in the scrotum. The pump transfers fluid to the cylinder in the shaft, causing an erection. This implant is easy to conceal and preserves sexual spontaneity � sort of.
•Three-piece inflatable implants: The most technologically advanced of the batch, this implant most resembles the feel of a natural erection. It consists of inflatable cylinders placed in the penis, a saline reservoir in the abdomen, and a small pump in the scrotum. To achieve erection all the man needs to do is press the pump and the penis fills with saline. When the cylinders are 'deflated' the penis appears naturally soft and flaccid.