Medical Questions » Male Problems Questions » Question No. 625
| Question: | How effective are the operations to insert an inflatable prosthesis in the penis to overcome impotence in a 64 year old man? |
| Answer: | This operation is the absolute last resort in the treatment of erectile failure in a man. It is necessary to start with investigations to find any cause of his impotence. These causes can be as diverse as diabetes, psychological problems, pituitary tumours, thyroid disease and alcoholism, as well as a host of less common problems.
Once a cause of impotence has been found, that should be dealt with, or if no specific cause can be found, other forms of treatment can be tried.
Other treatments include using a simple vacuum tube that ' sucks up' the penis, and a rubber ring around the base of the penis then keeps it erect.
Medications such as Viagra, and the injection into the penis known as Caverject, can also give a very effective erection in many impotent men.
If all else fails, and the man is keen to proceed, an operation to replace the internal organs of the penis with an inflatable balloon can be used. The overall results of this operation (which is quite expensive) are good, but as with all operations, there is always a small chance of failure or complications.
It is essential that all the pros and cons of such a procedure are discussed in detail with both a doctor who is not directly involved in the procedure (eg. your general practitioner) and the surgeon.
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