Penile prostheses in paraplegic men

Objectives To determine the efficacy of penile prostheses in paraplegic men. Patients and methods Between 1980 and 1992, penile prostheses were implanted in 209 paralysed men of whom the records of 179 were evaluable. The indication for implantation was erectile dysfunction, penile retraction, or a combination of the two. Results The outcome of the implantation of semi-rigid prostheses was worse than that of semi-flexible or flexible prostheses. Antibiotic treatment and body disinfection reduced the infection rate to below that in a normal population. The results were satisfactory for patients with either problem and patients treated successfully for erectile dysfunction became more self-confident. Conclusions When paraplegic patients are able to regain sexual activity after successful implantation of a penile prosthesis, their self-confidence is increased, Prostheses might also be useful for patients who will not accept self-injection and for those using external condom drainage, Penile prostheses clearly have a place in the treatment of paralysed men.