Penile Implant Surgery (Malleable & Inflatable)

About Penile Implant Surgery (Malleable & Inflatable)

Penile implant surgery places a prosthetic device inside the penis to restore the ability to achieve a rigid erection in men with erectile dysfunction that has not responded to medication, injections, or other less invasive treatments. Two main types of implant are used: a malleable, or semi-rigid, implant consists of a pair of bendable rods placed within the erectile chambers that leave the penis in a permanently firm but positionable state, which can be bent upward for sexual activity and downward for concealment at other times, while an inflatable implant uses fluid-filled cylinders connected to a pump placed in the scrotum and a fluid reservoir, allowing the patient to inflate the device to produce an erection and deflate it afterward, more closely mimicking natural function. The surgeon places the chosen device through a small incision, typically at the base of the penis or in the lower abdomen for the reservoir, under general or spinal anesthesia, with the procedure usually taking about one to two hours. The choice between implant types depends on manual dexterity, prior surgeries, anatomy, and patient preference. Indian urology centers with dedicated andrology units offer both implant types. Recovery involves several weeks of restricted activity before the device is activated for use.