How Penile Implant Surgery Works: The Procedure and Who Is Considered for It

The conversation usually starts sideways. A man in his early sixties mentions to his urologist that the tablets “stopped doing much” a year ago, that the injections work but he dreads them, and that he and his wife have quietly stopped trying. Then the question he has been circling for months: “Is the surgery really an option for someone like me?”

Penile implant surgery sits at the end of a long road, and most people who ask about it have already walked most of that road. It is not a first step, a cosmetic upgrade or a fix for a relationship. It is a mechanical answer to a plumbing problem that other treatments could not solve.

This explainer walks through what actually happens in the operating room, who is typically offered the procedure and who is asked to wait, what the first six weeks look like, and honest answers to the questions people type into a search bar late at night: the downsides, the length, what a partner can feel.

What is penile implant surgery, in plain language?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the persistent inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sex. A penile implant, also called a penile prosthesis, is a device surgically placed inside the penis to create an erection on demand when the body’s own mechanism no longer can. The word “prosthesis” simply means a manufactured part that replaces a natural function.

The penis contains two side-by-side cylinders of spongy tissue called the corpora cavernosa. In a natural erection, they fill with blood and press against their tough outer sheath, the tunica albuginea, which is what makes the penis rigid. Penile implant surgery replaces the blood-filling job with something mechanical: either two inflatable cylinders that fill with saline from a hidden reservoir, or two bendable rods that hold whatever position they are placed in.

Everything is concealed inside the body. Nothing shows from the outside, and the penis looks the same when the device is deflated or bent down. Sensation, orgasm and ejaculation depend on nerves and glands that the surgery is designed to leave alone, which is why they are usually unchanged, according to Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic patient information.

What the implant does not do is restore the natural erection. Once the cylinders occupy the corpora cavernosa, the spongy tissue is permanently displaced. This is the single most important fact in the whole decision: the operation is considered a one-way door, and people are usually asked to be certain that the reversible options have genuinely been exhausted before walking through it.

Why erectile dysfunction sometimes ends with an implant

An erection is a hydraulic event triggered by nerves. Signals from the brain and spinal cord tell the arteries of the penis to widen, blood floods the corpora cavernosa, and the swollen tissue squeezes shut the small veins that would normally drain it. Anything that damages the nerves, the arteries or the tissue itself can break that chain.

The most common culprits are vascular. Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking narrow and stiffen arteries throughout the body, and the penile arteries are among the smallest, so they tend to show damage early. The NHS and MedlinePlus list these, along with prostate cancer surgery, pelvic radiation, spinal cord injury, Peyronie’s disease (scar tissue that bends the penis) and certain medications, among the leading causes of ED.

Most people with ED never need surgery. Oral medicines in the class known as PDE5 inhibitors work by amplifying the chemical signal that relaxes penile blood vessels, and they help a large share of men. When they do not, injections into the penis, medicated pellets placed in the urethra and vacuum erection devices can produce a usable erection by more direct means.

An implant enters the conversation when those methods fail, cause side effects the person cannot live with, or are impossible for anatomical reasons. Severe scarring after prostate removal, dense Peyronie’s plaques, or damage from prolonged priapism (a painful erection lasting hours) can leave tissue that simply cannot fill with blood regardless of the drug. In those situations, a mechanical device becomes the only remaining way to make the penis rigid, and urology teams often raise it as a considered rather than a last-resort option.

How does a penile implant work? Inflatable versus malleable devices

Two broad designs exist, and understanding how each works usually settles most of the choice.

An inflatable penile prosthesis has three connected parts in its most common form: two cylinders inside the penis, a small pump housed in the scrotum between the testicles, and a saline-filled reservoir tucked behind the abdominal wall or in the lower pelvis. Squeezing the pump several times pushes fluid from the reservoir into the cylinders, which stiffen and lengthen to their fitted size. Pressing a release valve on the pump lets the fluid drain back, and the penis softens within a minute or so. A two-piece version combines the reservoir with the pump in the scrotum, which avoids abdominal placement but usually gives a less complete deflation.

A malleable, or semi-rigid, implant is simpler: two flexible rods, often with a bendable metal core, that sit permanently inside the corpora cavernosa. The penis is always somewhat firm. For sex it is bent upward; for daily life it is bent downward or against the body. There is nothing to squeeze, nothing to leak and no learning curve, which is why teams sometimes suggest it for people with limited hand dexterity or who prefer the least complex device.

Feature	Inflatable (three-piece)	Malleable (semi-rigid)
How it works	Pump moves saline from reservoir into cylinders	Rods bent up for sex, down for concealment
Flaccid appearance	Close to natural when deflated	Always partly firm
Parts inside the body	Cylinders, pump, reservoir, tubing	Two rods only
Mechanical failure risk	Present, because of moving parts	Very low
Hand dexterity needed	Yes, to work the pump	Minimal
Typical operation	Slightly longer and more complex	Shorter

Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic both describe these trade-offs as the core of the pre-surgery discussion.

Who is considered for penile implant surgery, and who is usually asked to wait

Guideline-based practice, as summarized by Mayo Clinic and MedlinePlus, generally reserves an implant for people whose ED has a clear physical cause, who have tried and failed less invasive treatments, and who understand that the change is permanent. The typical candidate is someone whose oral medicines no longer work, who cannot tolerate or manage injections, or whose anatomy makes other options unrealistic.

Particular groups come up often. Men whose nerves were injured during prostate cancer surgery, especially if recovery has stalled after a couple of years. Men with long-standing diabetes and vascular disease whose blood vessels no longer respond to medication. Men with Peyronie’s disease severe enough that the curvature itself prevents intercourse, since an implant can straighten the penis as well as stiffen it. Men whose ED followed a spinal cord injury or pelvic trauma.

Others are usually asked to wait, or to look elsewhere first. Anyone with an active infection anywhere in the body, especially a urinary or skin infection, will have surgery postponed because an infected implant nearly always has to be removed. Someone whose ED is primarily psychological, or is fluctuating, or has not yet had a proper trial of medication, will typically be steered toward those paths first. Poorly controlled diabetes raises infection risk, so many teams ask for blood sugar to be brought into a safer range beforehand. Serious heart or lung disease may make anesthesia itself the limiting factor.

Uncertainty is its own reason to pause. Because the natural erection cannot be recovered afterward, urologists commonly encourage people who feel ambivalent to take more time, sometimes bringing a partner into the discussion. The final call always belongs to the treating team, weighing health, anatomy and expectations together.

What happens before the operation

The weeks before surgery are mostly about lowering risk and setting expectations. A urologist will review the full history of the ED, the treatments already tried, other health conditions and current medicines. A physical examination checks the penis, scrotum and abdomen for scarring or anatomy that might steer the choice of device or the incision site.

Blood tests commonly include a check of blood sugar control, because high glucose levels feed bacteria and slow wound healing. A urine test screens for infection. Some teams also take a swab of the nose or skin for bacteria that can colonize implants, and may ask people to use an antiseptic wash in the days before surgery. Cleveland Clinic notes that reducing bacterial load on the skin is a routine part of infection prevention for this procedure.

Medicines are reviewed individually. Blood thinners and some supplements may need to be paused around the operation, but only on the instructions of the prescribing clinician and surgical team; nobody should stop a prescribed drug on their own. Smokers are usually asked to stop well in advance, since nicotine narrows blood vessels and impairs healing.

Expectation-setting is the other half of preparation. Surgeons will typically show or describe the device, explain that the erect penis will not be longer than it was before surgery, and make sure the person understands that the pump requires practice. Many will ask about the partner’s understanding as well. This is also when the choice between inflatable and malleable is usually finalized, and when consent forms are signed after a frank discussion of the risks covered later in this article.

Step by step: what actually happens in the operating room

Penile implant surgery is done under general anesthesia, so the person is fully asleep, or occasionally under a spinal anesthetic that numbs the lower body. Mayo Clinic describes the operation as typically taking around 45 minutes to an hour, though complex cases with heavy scarring can run longer.

The team begins with meticulous skin preparation and antibiotics given through a vein before the first cut, because infection is the complication everyone is trying to avoid. A thin catheter is often placed in the bladder to drain urine and help the surgeon feel the urethra during dissection.

A single incision is made, most commonly either where the penis meets the scrotum (penoscrotal) or just above the base of the penis in the lower abdomen (infrapubic). Through it, the surgeon opens a small window into each of the two corpora cavernosa. Slender instruments called dilators are passed gently along the length of each chamber to create a snug tunnel, and the chambers are measured with a graduated tool so the cylinders can be sized to the individual anatomy.

The cylinders are then slid into place, one on each side, and the openings in the tunica albuginea are closed over them. For a three-piece inflatable device, the surgeon creates a pouch in the scrotum for the pump and positions the reservoir behind the abdominal muscles, then connects the tubing and tests the system by inflating and deflating it several times to confirm a straight, firm erection and a full deflation. For a malleable device, the rods are inserted and the surgeon checks that they bend and hold position.

Finally the layers are closed, usually with dissolvable stitches, and a light dressing is applied. Most people wake with the penis positioned against the abdomen, partly inflated, to help shape the healing tissue.

The first days after surgery: pain, swelling and going home

Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic both describe the procedure as one where people usually go home the same day or after a single night, once they are eating, walking and passing urine comfortably. The bladder catheter is generally removed before discharge.

Pain is real in the first week, and the honest description most surgeons give is “more than you expect, less than you fear.” The penis and scrotum are typically swollen and bruised, and the scrotum can look alarmingly dark for a few days. The pump, if present, may feel like a hard lump that is tender to the touch. Pain management is arranged individually by the surgical team, often combining a short course of prescription pain relief with over-the-counter options, and a prescribing clinician sets the plan.

Practical instructions are mostly about protection and hygiene. Supportive underwear or a jockstrap keeps the scrotum elevated and reduces swelling. Showers are usually permitted within a day or two once the dressing comes off, while soaking in a bath is often deferred until the incision has sealed. Lifting, cycling and anything that puts pressure on the perineum are typically restricted for several weeks.

Many people are surprised by two things. First, the penis may look shorter than usual in the early weeks, because swelling and a protective downward or upward positioning distort its appearance; this usually settles as healing progresses. Second, a course of oral antibiotics is often continued at home for a set period decided by the surgeon, again to protect the implant during its most vulnerable phase.

Follow-up is usually arranged within one to two weeks to inspect the incision and check that the device sits correctly.

Penile implant recovery time: weeks two to six and learning the pump

The middle stretch of recovery is quieter but matters just as much. Swelling recedes gradually, tenderness in the scrotum eases, and the tissue around the cylinders begins to form a fibrous capsule that will eventually hold everything in place. Mayo Clinic gives a typical window of four to six weeks before the device is used for sex and before strenuous exercise resumes, though the treating surgeon sets the exact timing for each person.

Somewhere in that window, usually at a follow-up visit, the surgeon or nurse “activates” an inflatable device. This is simply the first supervised inflation and deflation after healing. The pump can be hard to locate at first because the scrotum is still a little firm, and squeezing it fully may feel uncomfortable for the first few sessions. People are commonly asked to practice cycling the device daily at home, inflating it and leaving it up for a period before deflating, which stretches the healing capsule and helps the implant reach its full fitted length.

Two sensations trip people up. The first is the click or resistance of the release valve, which some describe as fiddly until muscle memory takes over. The second is a feeling that the scrotum is “pulling” during inflation, which usually fades as the tissues loosen. Cleveland Clinic emphasizes that mastering the pump often takes weeks of practice, and that partners frequently learn it too.

Malleable devices have no activation step. The main adjustment is learning how to position the rods for comfort under clothing and during exercise.

Return to work varies with the job. Desk-based roles are often possible within a week or two, while heavy manual work waits until the surgeon clears it. Driving generally resumes once prescription pain relief is no longer needed and sitting is comfortable.

What is the downside to a penile implant? Penile implant risks explained honestly

Every honest conversation about this surgery starts with the same sentence: the natural erection is gone for good. Because the spongy tissue is stretched and displaced when the cylinders are placed, a person who later has the device removed will not regain spontaneous erections and will usually find that even injections no longer work. This permanence is the fundamental downside and the reason the operation is placed last in the treatment sequence.

Infection is the complication surgeons fear most. Cleveland Clinic puts the risk in the low single digits, roughly one to three percent, but when it happens the device almost always has to be removed, and any replacement is delayed by months while the tissue heals. Diabetes with poor glucose control, spinal cord injury and revision surgery all raise the risk. Coated implants and strict operating-room protocols exist precisely to keep this number low.

Mechanical failure is a feature of any device with moving parts. Tubing can kink, a cylinder can develop a leak, or a pump can stick. Mayo Clinic notes that inflatable implants can wear out over years and may need repair or replacement; this is a matter of time and use rather than a sign anything went wrong. Malleable rods rarely fail mechanically but can, over long periods, wear against the tissue at the tip of the penis.

Erosion describes the device pushing through tissue, most seriously into the urethra or through the skin. It is uncommon but requires removal. Other reported problems include persistent pain, a pump or reservoir that sits in an awkward position, glans (head of the penis) that stays soft during inflation, a device that spontaneously inflates, and shortening of the erect length compared with before the ED began.

None of these risks is a reason to avoid the surgery for the right candidate, but all of them belong in the consent conversation.

How long can you stay erect, and how many inches does it give you?

Two of the most common search questions have refreshingly clear answers.

Duration first. With an inflatable device, the erection lasts as long as the fluid stays in the cylinders. There is no timer and no reflex that lets it down, so the erection continues until the person presses the release valve. Surgeons typically advise against leaving the device inflated for many hours at a stretch outside of the deliberate stretching exercises they prescribe early on, mainly for comfort and to avoid pressure on healing tissue; the treating team gives the specific guidance. A malleable device is, in effect, always firm and simply repositioned. The relevant question for either type is therefore not “how long can I stay erect” but “how long is comfortable,” and that is individual.

Length is where expectations most often collide with reality. A penile implant does not add inches. The cylinders are cut or selected to fit the measured length of the corpora cavernosa at surgery, so the erect penis will be, at best, the length the person could achieve before the implant. Cleveland Clinic states plainly that the penis may appear or feel shorter than it did before ED developed, because the tissue has often shrunk during the years of poor erections and because the fitted cylinders cannot exceed what the tissue will safely hold.

Girth is a different matter. Some inflatable cylinders expand in width as they fill, so the erect penis can feel fuller than it did during the period of ED. Surgeons also often note that faithful early cycling of the device helps the capsule stretch so that the final length matches the fitted size rather than falling short of it. Anyone whose main goal is a longer penis is generally counseled that this operation is the wrong tool for that aim.

Can a woman feel a penile implant? Sensation, orgasm and intimacy

Partners ask this almost as often as patients do, and the answer is largely reassuring. During intercourse, an inflated implant produces a rigid penis that a partner experiences as an erection. The device itself sits entirely inside the corpora cavernosa, beneath skin and tissue, so there is no exposed hardware to feel. Some partners notice that the glans, the head of the penis, stays softer than the shaft because the cylinders end below it; this is normal and is one reason surgeons check glans support at the operation.

Outside of sex, the pump in the scrotum is usually palpable as a small firm lump, roughly the size of a large grape, and a partner may feel it with a hand. Malleable rods make the flaccid penis feel firmer than usual at all times. Neither is generally visible through clothing once swelling has resolved.

For the person with the implant, the nerves that carry sensation from the skin and glans run outside the corpora and are not disturbed by the surgery, according to Mayo Clinic and MedlinePlus. Skin sensation, the ability to reach orgasm and ejaculation are therefore usually preserved, provided they were present before the operation. People who lost the ability to ejaculate after prostate removal will not regain it, because that change came from the prostate surgery rather than from the erection problem.

Emotional adjustment is part of the picture. Couples sometimes describe an initial self-consciousness about “the pump moment” that fades with practice, and many incorporate inflation into foreplay. Communication before the operation, including inviting the partner to the consultation, is something urologists frequently encourage.

Alternatives your team may discuss before surgery

Because the operation is irreversible, guideline-level care works through the reversible options first, and the sequence is worth understanding even for someone who expects to end up with an implant.

Lifestyle and cause-directed care come first. The NHS notes that improving blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol control, stopping smoking, losing excess weight and reviewing medicines that can worsen ED can each make a difference, particularly early in the condition. Treating low testosterone, when it is genuinely present on blood tests, may help libido and sometimes erections.

Oral PDE5 inhibitors are the usual next step. They work only when a sexual signal is already present and the tissue can still respond, which is why they lose effect as nerve or vascular damage advances. Typical response is assessed over several attempts rather than a single try, with the prescribing clinician adjusting the plan.

Vacuum erection devices use a cylinder and hand or battery pump to draw blood into the penis, with a constriction ring at the base to hold it. They are drug-free and reversible, though some people find the ring uncomfortable or the erection cool and “hinged” at the base.

Injection therapy delivers a vasodilating medicine, one that widens blood vessels, directly into the side of the penis, producing an erection within minutes regardless of nerve signals. It is effective for many who fail tablets, but needle anxiety, occasional pain and the risk of prolonged erection limit long-term use. Medicated urethral pellets work on a similar principle with less reliability.

Counseling, alone or alongside medical treatment, matters when anxiety, depression or relationship strain contribute. For Peyronie’s disease, straightening surgery without an implant may be offered when erections are otherwise adequate.

Which of these has been tried, and how thoroughly, is part of what the surgical team weighs.

What people often get wrong about penile implants

Misconceptions cluster around this surgery, partly because so few people talk about it openly. Correcting them is part of making a good decision.

Myth: it makes the penis bigger. It does not. The device is sized to existing anatomy, and Cleveland Clinic warns that the penis may feel shorter than it did before ED began. Girth can feel fuller with some inflatable cylinders, but length is not gained.

Myth: it can be removed later to go back to normal. Removal is possible, but the natural erection does not return, because the spongy tissue has been permanently displaced. Anyone treating this as a trial should hear otherwise from their surgeon.

Myth: it changes how sex feels for the man. Sensation, orgasm and ejaculation rely on structures the operation leaves undisturbed, so they are usually unchanged from the pre-surgery state.

Myth: it is a cosmetic or lifestyle operation. In guideline-based care it is a treatment for medically documented ED that has failed other therapy. Surgeons routinely decline to operate on people whose ED is mild, untreated or primarily psychological.

Myth: infection is common. Published rates cited by Cleveland Clinic sit in the low single digits, though the consequences when infection does occur are serious enough to justify the elaborate precautions.

Myth: it lasts forever. Inflatable devices have moving parts and can fail after years of use; Mayo Clinic notes that repair or replacement may eventually be needed. This is expected wear, not failure of the operation.

Myth: the erection is instant. Inflation takes repeated squeezes of the pump, and learning to do this smoothly usually takes weeks of practice. Couples who plan for that adjustment period tend to find the transition easier.

Questions to ask your care team

Consultations for this surgery can feel rushed once the decision seems made. Arriving with specific questions keeps the conversation focused on what will matter afterward. The following are ones urologists say they wish more people asked.

• Which treatments in the usual sequence have I genuinely tried, and for how long, before we call them failed?
• Based on my anatomy and health, would you lean toward an inflatable or a malleable device, and why?
• Where would my incision be, and where would the pump and reservoir sit?
• What is my personal infection risk given my diabetes control, prior surgery or other conditions, and what can I do before the operation to lower it?
• How will my erect length compare with what I have now, and with what I had before ED?
• What does the first week actually feel like, and how will pain be managed?
• When would the device be activated, and who will teach me and my partner to use it?
• How many of these procedures does your team perform, and how do you handle complications if they arise?
• What would make you recommend removing the device, and what happens afterward?
• If the device fails years from now, what does replacement involve?

Writing down the answers, or bringing a partner to listen, helps, because much of this information arrives in a single appointment. People are also entitled to ask for time before consenting, and to a second opinion within the same health system, without that being taken as a lack of commitment. A good surgical team welcomes the questions; they are a sign the person understands what they are agreeing to.

When to call your doctor after penile implant surgery

Most recoveries are uneventful, but a small number of problems need prompt attention because early treatment can save the device or prevent a serious infection. The surgical team will give a direct contact number, and it should be used without hesitation for any of the following.

Contact the team the same day for spreading redness, warmth or increasing swelling around the incision or scrotum; pus or cloudy fluid draining from the wound; a fever, chills or feeling generally unwell; pain that is worsening rather than gradually improving after the first few days; a part of the device that feels as though it is pushing against or through the skin, or is visible; inability to pass urine or a weak, painful stream; or a device that has inflated on its own and will not deflate.

Seek emergency care for heavy bleeding that soaks through dressings, a rapidly enlarging tense swelling of the penis or scrotum, sudden shortness of breath or chest pain, or a painful, swollen calf, since surgery carries a small risk of blood clots.

Later on, once the device is in regular use, new symptoms also deserve a call: an erection that no longer becomes fully firm or fully soft, a pump that feels stuck or has moved position, new curvature of the penis, pain during inflation that was not there before, or any skin change over the device. Urinary infections should be treated promptly at any stage, because bacteria in the bloodstream can settle on an implant.

Nothing in this article replaces the personalized instructions of the treating team, who know the specific device, incision and health history involved. When in doubt, call.

Frequently asked questions

What is the downside to a penile implant?

The main downside is permanence: once the cylinders are placed, natural erections cannot return even if the device is removed. Other risks include infection in roughly one to three percent of cases according to Cleveland Clinic, mechanical failure of inflatable parts over years of use, erosion of the device through tissue, persistent pain and a perceived loss of length. These are weighed against the benefit of a reliable erection when other treatments have failed.

How long can you stay erect with a penile implant?

An inflatable implant stays erect until the release valve on the scrotal pump is pressed, because there is no natural mechanism to let it down. Surgeons usually advise keeping inflation to comfortable periods rather than many hours, apart from the short stretching sessions prescribed during recovery. A malleable implant is always firm and is simply bent up for sex and down afterward. Specific guidance comes from the treating team.

How many inches does a penile implant give you?

None. A penile implant does not increase length; the cylinders are sized to fit the measured erectile chambers at the time of surgery, so the erect penis can be at most the length the tissue already allows. Cleveland Clinic notes the penis may feel shorter than before erectile dysfunction began, because tissue often shrinks during years of poor erections. Some inflatable cylinders expand in girth, which can make the erection feel fuller.

Can a woman feel a penile implant during sex?

During intercourse a partner experiences a rigid penis much like a natural erection, and the device itself is not felt because it sits entirely inside the erectile chambers beneath skin and tissue. Some partners notice that the head of the penis stays softer than the shaft, since the cylinders end below it. The scrotal pump can be felt with a hand as a small firm lump, and malleable rods make the flaccid penis feel firmer.

How does an inflatable penile prosthesis work?

It moves fluid rather than blood. Two cylinders inside the penis connect by thin tubing to a pump in the scrotum and a saline reservoir in the pelvis or abdomen. Squeezing the pump several times pushes saline into the cylinders, which stiffen and lengthen to their fitted size. Pressing a release valve lets the saline drain back to the reservoir and the penis softens within about a minute, according to Mayo Clinic’s description.

What is the penile implant recovery time before sex?

Mayo Clinic gives a typical window of four to six weeks before the device is used for sex and before strenuous activity resumes, but the treating surgeon sets the exact timing for each person. Swelling and tenderness ease gradually over those weeks, an inflatable device is usually activated at a follow-up visit, and daily practice cycling the pump helps the healing tissue stretch to the fitted length.

Is penile implant surgery painful?

Yes, particularly in the first week, when the penis and scrotum are swollen and bruised and the pump can feel tender. Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic describe discomfort that improves steadily over several weeks. Pain relief is arranged individually by the surgical team and prescribing clinician. Pain that worsens rather than improves after the first few days, or that comes with fever or redness, should prompt a same-day call to the team.

Who is a good candidate for penile implant surgery?

Typically someone with erectile dysfunction from a clear physical cause, such as diabetes, vascular disease, prostate cancer surgery, spinal injury or severe Peyronie’s disease, who has tried oral medicines, injections or vacuum devices without adequate result and who understands the change is permanent. People with active infection, poorly controlled diabetes, untreated or mainly psychological ED, or uncertainty about the decision are usually asked to wait. The urology team makes the final assessment.

What are the main penile implant risks after surgery?

Infection, reported by Cleveland Clinic in the low single digits, is the most serious early risk and usually means removal of the device. Later risks include mechanical failure of inflatable components, erosion of the device toward the urethra or skin, spontaneous inflation, a pump that shifts position, persistent pain and a softer glans during erection. Blood clots and bleeding are general surgical risks. Any new redness, fever or device change warrants prompt contact with the team.

Does a penile implant affect orgasm or ejaculation?

Usually not. The nerves carrying sensation from the penile skin and glans, and the glands that produce ejaculate, lie outside the erectile chambers and are not disturbed by the operation, according to Mayo Clinic and MedlinePlus. People who could reach orgasm and ejaculate before surgery generally still can afterward. Those who lost ejaculation after prostate removal will not regain it, because that change came from the earlier prostate surgery.

References

• MedlinePlus – Penile prosthesis
• NHS – Erection problems (erectile dysfunction)
• MedlinePlus – Erectile Dysfunction

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor about your individual situation.