Category: Male Enhancement

Most men with erectile dysfunction are successfully treated with oral medications. Those for whom oral medications are contraindicated, or for whom the pills don’t work also have other options. Injectable therapy with drugs like Caverject is another possibility, as is a penile prosthesis.

If you’re not a good candidate for Viagra or other first line treatments for erectile dysfunction, don’t give up because other options are available.
Depending on the type of implant chosen, the surgery costs up to $20,000, which would include the surgeon’s fee, fees for anesthesia, the cost of the implant, and operating room fees. Medicare will cover penile implant surgery, as will many private insurers. Private insurers, however, are likely to require pre-certification prior to covering the surgery, so it’s essential that patients talk to their insurers before arranging to have penile implant surgery.

Assuming the surgery costs $20,000, how much of that is covered by your insurer will depend on whether you have met your yearly deductible, and what percentage of costs your plan covers after meeting your deductible.

Penile prosthesis surgery is expensive, but many insurance plans offer coverage for it.

While prescription medications like Viagra are considered first-line treatments for erectile dysfunction, they’re not for everyone. Men with certain heart conditions should not take these drugs, and there are men for whom the drugs don’t perform well. While a penile implant may seem like an extreme solution, the vast majority of patients who have them are satisfied with them. Inflatable penile prostheses aren’t noticeable when flaccid, and in general, no one knows that a man has one unless he informs them. Finally, some health insurance plans offer coverage for penile implants, and hardly any offer coverage for erectile dysfunction drugs.

The procedure to implant the penile prosthesis is done in a surgery center or hospital, and may be done under general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia, which blocks pain and sensation in the lower part of your body.

After inserting a catheter into your bladder to collect urine, the surgeon makes an incision either in the penis itself or in the lower abdomen and fully extends the corpora cavernosa, which are the spongy tissues inside the penis that fill with blood during an erection.

The implant, customized to the patient’s exact body measurements, is then implanted in the penis, with the pump and fluid reservoir implanted afterward. The entire procedure usually takes 45 minutes to an hour.

Recovery takes four to six weeks, and this is about how long it will take before patients are ready for sexual activity. Many doctors recommend that during recovery, patients fully inflate and deflate the implants twice a day for practice and to help stretch the tissues surrounding the cylinders.