The Evolution of Penile Prosthesis in the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction

Abstract

The National Institutes of Health consensus on impotence has defined erectile dysfunction in 1993 as the persistent inability of male to achieve and/or maintain an erect penis to allow satisfactory sexual intercourse. This condition affects millions of men of any age, but its prevalence is closely associated with aging, and it is estimated that about fifty percent of men, aged 40-70, experience some degree of erectile dysfunction. Penile prosthesis has been part of the therapeutic alternatives of erectile dysfunction for several decades. However, in the ‘90s, with the arrival of type-5 phosphodiesterase inhibitors, the treatment of erectile dysfunction evolved significantly. This class of drugs, which is currently considered the first line of treatment, is ineffective in about 30% of patients whom continue to require more invasive treatments. Penile prosthesis has high satisfaction and efficacy rates in the management of erectile dysfunction, and they undergone through some evolutions in the past years. This article intent to underline the evolution of the penile prosthesis in the treatment of erectile dysfunction with their virtues and disadvantages.