- Does intercourse with a penile implant feel natural?
- Is the inflation process painful?
- Are the surgical procedure and recovery painful?
- What’s the surgical procedure like?
- How long does it take to recover, and when can I have intercourse?
- What will my partner think?
- Will the penile prosthesis show?
- How does the penile prosthesis work?
- Do I need to go to a specialist to get a penile implant?
- Are penile implants covered by insurance?
Does intercourse with a penile implant feel natural?
A penile prosthesis does not change sensation on the skin of the penis or a man's ability to reach orgasm. Ejaculation is not affected.
Is the inflation process painful?
To inflate an AMS inflatable prosthesis, you squeeze the pump in your scrotum, which will send fluid into the cylinders in the penis. This requires good manual dexterity but should not be painful. If you experience pain, contact your doctor right away.
Are the surgical procedure and recovery painful?
The procedure is performed under local or general anesthesia, so you don’t feel anything during the surgery. Most men experience only minor discomfort afterward. They’re home within a day and back to daily activities within a week, with the option for intercourse in 6 to 8 weeks.
What’s the surgical procedure like?
Placing a penile implant generally takes approximately one hour. While you’re under anesthesia, a small incision may be made at the base of the penis or in the scrotum, and the implant is placed through that incision. Most men experience only minor discomfort during the healing process.
How long does it take to recover, and when can I have intercourse?
Most men return home within a day of surgery and are back to all their normal activities within a week, having intercourse at 6 to 8 weeks post-surgery.
When the penis is inflated, the implant makes the penis stiff and rigid, similar to a natural erection. Your erection will last as long as you and your partner want it to. And you’ll still share the same intimate experience because ejaculation and sensation are similar to before the implant.
Will the penile prosthesis show?
Once in place, your implant will be completely undetectable. It’s fully concealed in the body. No one will know unless you tell them—even in the locker room.
How does a penile prosthesis work?
Today, most men choose an inflatable implant that is virtually undetectable. Both types of penile prostheses, inflatable and non-inflatable, allow men to have an erection whenever they choose.
The implant will consist of two cylinders, a pump and a reservoir (AMS 700®); two cylinders and a pump (AMS Ambicor®); or two cylinders (AMS SpectraTM).
To inflate the AMS 700® and Ambicor® prosthesis, the man squeezes the pump bulb. The pump transfers fluid from the reservoir to the cylinders in the penis, inflating them and causing an erection. Pressing on a deflation button or squeezing the pump in your scrotum (AMS 700®) or bending the cylinders (AMS Ambicor®) will return the fluid to the reservoir, deflating the penis and returning it to its normal flaccid state.
Do I need to go to a specialist to get a penile implant?
The first step in getting treatment for ED is to discuss the situation with a prosthetic urologist. This is a specialist with experience in all forms of treatment for ED, including penile implants.
He or she will provide a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of ED, starting with a careful medical history. This is generally followed by a physical exam, which may include assessment of your vascular system, thyroid gland, nervous system, prostate, and genitals.
Are penile implants covered by insurance?
Medicare has a national coverage policy for the diagnosis and treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED), which includes the implantation of a penile prosthesis. Medicare coverage is further defined in most states by Local Coverage Decisions (LCDs).
Most commercial health insurers cover the medically necessary diagnosis and treatment of ED.
To avoid delays in payment or reimbursement, you should work with your physician's office and insurance carrier to verify coverage and insurance payment levels before beginning a treatment path.
If you have been denied coverage, click here.