Frequently Asked Questions

It's normal to have questions. You are not alone.


Men often have questions as they’re exploring different erectile dysfunction treatment options, particularly the penile implant. Here are some answers.
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You should be able to have an orgasm and ejaculate with a penile implant if you were able to ejaculate and orgasm before the implant.1 Consult your physician about your expected outcome.
If you had sensation in your penis before receiving the implant, you should have the similar sensation in your penis after the implant.2 The implant and associated surgery is not supposed to change your penis sensation since typically the surgery does not have any negative effects on the nerves in the head of the penis that cause sensations. If you are considering moving forward with penile implant surgery, it is important to find a urologist that has adequate training in men’s sexual health and the penile implant procedure and further discuss the risks and benefits of the penile implant procedure.
Everyone is different and recovery time varies, but typically it’s between 4-6 weeks until you can resume sexual activity.3 Your physician will determine what you can and can’t do during this time. It is important to follow all recommendations from your physician for the best outcome.
Each penile implant is custom fit to your anatomy.2 Like any body part that goes unused for a long time, the muscles and fibers of that body part begin to break down. If it has been a long time since you’ve achieved a good erection, you may experience some atrophy and perceived penis shortening. Discuss this in greater detail with your physician.
The Titan® implant is completely placed inside your body and is not visibly noticeable. The penis appears relaxed and normal when in the flaccid state4, and it is not obvious by looking at a man that he has an implant. The Genesis® malleable implant stays firm when not in the erect position, and it may “show” through clothes.
A study showed that estimated overall device survival rates are: 87.2% at 5 years, 76.8% at 10 years, and 63.7% at 15 years.5
Both the Titan and the Genesis implants give you the ability to have an erection instantly and spontaneously, any time you want one.4 However, the implant surgery makes it impossible to ever have a “latent” or natural erection that’s not dependent on the device.6 Therefore, you should consider carefully whether or not an implant is the right choice for you.
Both help give you the ability to have an erection satisfactory for intercourse. The main difference is that the Genesis is a flexible (malleable) implant that consists of two firm but bendable rods that are placed into the shaft of the penis (corpora cavernosa). There are no other parts to this implant. To have an erection, you simply hold the penis and move it into the desired position. When you are finished, you return the penis to its tucked down position. With the Titan implant, you inflate the cylinders by squeezing the pump located in your scrotum to achieve an erection, and deflate by pressing the release valve to return the fluid from the cylinders into the reservoir to return to flaccid state.
A penile implant is prescribed by your physician. Most insurers, including Medicare, cover the implant.7 Check with your physician’s office and your insurance carrier to determine your actual cost.
The Titan implant contains metal that can be safely scanned by airport security. The Titan implant is MR-Conditional meaning it can be scanned by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine when it is used according to MR-Conditional specifications. After surgery you will receive a Patient Implant Card to carry at all times. This card identifies your device as MR-Conditional and provides the specific manufacturing details of your penile implant.4
Yes, the Titan penile implant is safe for standard airport security.
After the penile implant procedure, mild swelling, pain, and discomfort can occur. Your doctor will advise on when to return to normal activities. Most men can resume strenuous physical activity and sexual activity about 4-6 weeks after the procedure. Sexual activity should not be resumed until approval is received from the implanting physician.3
Review the Important Safety Information at the bottom of this page for a full list of risks and potential complications.
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PM-30508
Titan® and Titan® Touch Inflatable Prosthesis - Important Safety Information

A penile implant, also called a penile prosthesis, is concealed entirely within the body to address erectile dysfunction (impotence). The implant requires some degree of manipulation before and after intercourse to make the penis erect or flaccid.

Indications
The Titan and Titan Touch Inflatable Penile Prosthesis is indicated for male patients suffering from erectile dysfunction (impotence) who are considered to be candidates for implantation of a penile prosthesis.

Contraindications
The Titan and Titan Touch Inflatable Penile Prosthesis is contraindicated in patients who have one or more of the following: (1) Patients with an active infection present anywhere in the body, especially urinary tract or genital infection. (2) Patients with a documented sensitivity to silicone. (3) Patients with unresolved problems affecting urination, such as an elevated residual urine volume secondary to bladder outlet obstruction or neurogenic bladder. (4) Patients unwilling to undergo any further surgery for device revision.

Warnings
Implantation of the device may make latent natural erections, as well as other interventional treatment options, impossible. Men with diabetes or spinal cord injuries, as well as immunocompromised patients, may have an increased risk of infection associated with a prosthesis. Implantation of a penile prosthesis may result in penile shortening, curvature or scarring.

Precautions
Removal of an implanted prosthesis without timely reimplantation of a new prosthesis may complicate subsequent reimplantation or may make it impossible. MRI quality may be compromised if the area of interest is in the exact same area or relatively close to the position of the Titan, and Titan Touch IPP. Be sure to consult with your physician. Patients should discuss all available treatment options and their risks and benefits with their physician. Health conditions which hamper sexual activity, such as severe chest pain (angina), may prevent successful use of this device. The prosthesis should not be implanted in patients who lack the manual dexterity or strength necessary to operate the device. Trauma to the pelvic or abdominal areas, such as impact injuries associated with sports (e.g., bicycle riding), can result in damage of the implanted device and/or surrounding tissues. This damage may result in the malfunction of the device and may necessitate surgical correction, including replacement of the device. The device may be used in the presence of Peyronie’s Disease.

Potential Complications
Penile implants are surgical solutions requiring a healing period that have risks associated with surgery such as scrotal swelling, auto-inflation, discomfort, angulation/curvature, swelling (edema), device malfunction, chronic pain, difficulty with ejaculation, transient urinary retention, fever, migration, patient dissatisfaction, infection at surgical site or wound, deflation, swelling of clotted blood or clear fluid (hematoma/seroma), wound leakage, bleeding, delayed wound healing, narrowing of the opening of the foreskin (phimosis), sensory loss, cylinder malfunction, formation of thick tissue (fibrous capsule formation), over/under inflation, erosion, scrotal reddening (erythema), genital change, and inguinal hernia.

This treatment is prescribed by your physician. Discuss the treatment options with your physician to understand the risks and benefits of the various options to determine if a penile implant is right for you.

Caution: Federal law (USA) restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician.

Genesis® Malleable Penile Prosthesis - Important Safety Information

A penile implant, also called a penile prosthesis, is concealed entirely within the body to address erectile dysfunction (impotence). The device is manually positioned to simulate an erect or flaccid penis.

Intended Purpose
The Genesis Malleable Penile Prosthesis is a flexible silicone elastomer device designed to be implanted into the penis for the management of erectile dysfunction (commonly known as impotence).

Indications
The prosthesis is designed for the management of erectile dysfunction (impotence) stemming from a variety of causes, including: epispadias (a rare birth defect located at the opening of the urethra), pelvic fracture; spinal cord injury or disease; prostatectomy; cystectomy; abdominal-perineal resection (surgical removal of the anus, rectum, and sigmoid colon); multiple sclerosis; diabetes mellitus; alcoholism; arteriosclerosis and hypertensive vascular disease; priapism (prolonged and painful erection of the penis); and Peyronie’s disease (curvature of the penis). The Prosthesis may also be used in selected patients with psychogenic impotence.

Contraindications
The Genesis Malleable Penile Prosthesis should not be used in: patients with an active infection present anywhere in the body, especially urinary tract or genital infection; patients with a documented sensitivity to silicone; and, patients with unresolved urinary problems, such as an elevated residual urine volume secondary to bladder outlet obstruction or neurogenic bladder.

Warnings
Implantation of a penile Prosthesis may make natural erections difficult to achieve. It may make some other interventional treatment options not possible. Implantation of a penile Prosthesis may result in penile shortening, curvature or scarring. Men with diabetes as well as immunocompromised patients, may have an increased risk of infection which could result in permanent damage to tissue/organs.

Consult with your physician if you are experiencing a change in rigidity or appearance of the erect penis. Replacement of the prosthesis may be necessary. If you have borderline bladder decompensation, an indwelling catheter, or enlargement of the prostate talk to your doctor.

Precautions
Patients should be informed that erections achieved with a malleable penile Prosthesis may differ from original erection (e.g. not of equal length or girth) compared to what was previously experienced with natural erections. Talk with your physician regarding realistic expectations. Health conditions which hamper sexual activity (e.g. severe angina) may prevent successful use of this device. Penile implants are not considered lifetime implants due to the inherent nature of mechanical devices. Trauma to the pelvic area, such as impact injuries associated with sports, can result in damage of the implanted device and/or surrounding tissues. This damage may result in the malfunction of the device and may necessitate surgical correction, including replacement of the device.

Potential Complications
Adverse events are known to occur with penile protheses procedures and implants; some may require revision surgery or removal of the implant. Adverse events following penile protheses implantation may be new (de novo), persistent, worsening, lasting for a short time (transient), or permanent.

Penile implants are surgical solutions requiring a healing period that have risks associated with surgery such as deformity, delayed / impaired / abnormal wound healing, injury to tissue or organs (erosion / extrusion / migration) resulting in damage or loss of tissue (necrosis), opening or tunnel between tissue or organs (fistula), allergic reaction or sensitivity to device, collection of blood or fluid outside of tissue or vessels (hematoma, seroma), bleeding or excessive bleeding (hemorrhage), infection, redness or swelling of tissue, irritation, penile implant moves (migration), penile tissue dying off (necrosis), pain/discomfort, inability to pull the foreskin forward over the tip of an uncircumcised penis (paraphimosis), inability to pull the foreskin back from the tip of an uncircumcised penis (acquired phimosis), perforation or injury of soft tissue (e.g., muscles, nerves, vessels), penile structures, or organs (e.g., urethra), scarring, difficulty during sexual activity, numbness or decreased sensation in penis, blockage or slowing of urine (urethral obstruction / occlusion), urinary tract infection, and difficulty emptying bladder.

The occurrence of these events may require one or more subsequent surgeries which may or may not always fully correct the complication.

This treatment is prescribed by your physician. Discuss the treatment options with your physician to understand the risks and benefits of the various options to determine if a penile implant is right for you.

Caution: Federal law (USA) restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician.

References
  1. Coleman E, Listiak A, Braatz G, Lange P. Effects of penile implant surgery on ejaculation and orgasm. J Sex Marital Ther. 1985 Fall;11(3):199-205.
  2. Xie D, Nicholas M, Gheiler V, Perito D, Siano L, Kislinger I, Nehrenz GM, Klopukh B, Bianco FJ, Perito P, Gheiler E. A prospective evaluation of penile measures and glans penis sensory changes after penile prosthetic surgery. Transl Androl Urol. 2017 Jun;6(3):529-533.
  3. Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction. NIH: National Institute ofDiabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/erectile-dysfunction/treatment. Accessed March 2023.
  4. Data on file at Coloplast
  5. Miller LE, Khera M, Bhattacharyya S, Patel M, Nitschelm K, Burnett AL. Long-Term Survival Rates of Inflatable Penile Prostheses: Systematic Review and Meta Analysis. Urology. 2022 Aug;166:6-10.
  6. Titan instructions for use
  7. Does Medicare Cover Penile Implants? Medicare.org. https://www.medicare.org/articles/does-medicare-coverpenile-implants/. Accessed October 2022.