Penile Implant Surgery

[voulezvous]

Petroninsideglans,

Well, unless a woman has never felt a testicle before, she will know that "something" is different. The button used to deflate is located in a small rectangular box (about the size of a lego toy) and below that is the bulb used to activate or inflate the prosthesis. I have never heard of a man with rectangular testicles (moreso only one) so that's a dead giveaway. There is also tubing that can be felt.
In my case my current partner was frankly quite fascinated with the hardware & has even learned how to inflate & deflate. However, if a woman is not into touching your scrotum there is no way that she will tell by appearance. Believe it or not, there is room in there for the pump mechanism as well as your 2 testicles.
If I were you I would be sure to tell a sex partner before intercourse about your implant. It is a lot more honest & you'll avoid having to explain why you are squeezing your own ballsack in order to become erect. That would really freak someone out! I am older than you but also single. Both partners I have had since my surgery were mature women & were probably more curious than turned off.
Hope this explanation helps.

[peyroninsidepglans]

I was wondering can the squeeze button be seen? have you been with a girl using this implant without her noticing that you have an implant, as I'm only 31 and still out partying out with mates, can the pump be seen on the scrotum by the female?

[jackp]

voulezvous

Your size after surgery depends upon several factors. Some of these factors are the skill of the doctor, how long you have waited and if you have lost penile length.

My research indicates the sooner you have a implant after all else fails the better your outcome. Several men I chat with that have a implant 6 months after peyronies starts and have severe ED have a better outcome.

In my case I contribute my good outcome to the daily VED exercise for the years I had to wait on my implant.

There are 3 corpus chambers in the penis. Two Corpus Cavernosum (CC) and the Corpus Spongiosum (CS).

The two cylinders of the implant are placed in the CC. The CS contains the urethra and is part of the glans. It is not involved in the implant. For a good graphic go to the Resource Library on this forum, it is at the bottom of the thread.

The reason several of us have a partial erection with the implant is the CS is stimulated. That stimulation comes back after surgery faster from some than others. I know a young man that has glans erections before the 6 week waiting period for sex. Myself it took several months.

If your glans became erect before an implant it should afterward, but it could take a little time. A couple of things could help. If you are on blood thinner for your heart that helps the most. Others try a daily dose of V, C or L and that works for them.

If you have lost the ability for the glans to become erect before an implant you want the AMS 700 LGX. It will expand into the glans and hold it for penetration. The LGX is the only implant that expands in length as well as girth. A good graphic is at www.amslgx.com.

Hope this helps clear up some of the thoughts on an implant.

Jackp

Note: As with any prescription medication you need a prescription from your doctor for the free Cialis.

[voulezvous]

I'm not going to contradict anything that JackP has written about the implant procedure & how it is done. As he has said, different doctors have different methods of dealing with the corpora. I also have had the implanting of a LGX last August (almost exactly a year ago) & am delighted with the outcome. In my case, my urologist also "cracked" the plaque causing my Peyronies Disease. The thing I wanted to emphasize, however, is that anyone considering the surgery should be aware that, regardless of the type of implant or even the method used to remove or adapt the spongy material in the corpora, it is unlikely that you will be "what you were" in terms of length & girth. One of the most pleasant surprises that I found after my 1st 6 months of recovery, however, is that I can actually become semi-rigid without activating the pump. All I need is the same ingredient that I did before my Peyronies Disease ; good old-fashioned arousal. In other words, my surgeon left me with the ability to obtain natural erection transition. Thank God. The pump gives me the rigidity necessary for penetration as well as some additional expansion of the tissue. It is still a mystery to me but I am very pleased. I think, if anything made the difference it was the selection of a surgeon/urologist who has vast experience with implant surgery as well as sexual disorders.

[jackp]

Jeffery


See the PM I just sent you.

As for the glans try 5mg of daily Cialis. Some guys this helps and some it does not. You can get a coupon for a free months supply at www.cialis.com or from your urologist. Worth a try.

Now there does not have to be a decision between length and girth. The AMS 700 LGX expands in both and is the only implant that does.

Hope this helps. There are also some other suggestions I can give you that are a little personal.

Jackp

Note: As with any prescription medication you need a prescription from your doctor for the free Cialis.

[Jeffrey]

I wish I had found this site sooner.  After enduring verapamil injections (I passed out the first time) and plaque removal/skin graft surgery, I opted for an implant

My first implant was in 05', I got the Titan.  It was presented to me as a decision between length or girth.  When I had a blow-out last year I tried to switch makes.  Because the Mentor had a warranty, they replaced it with the same.  I did get an upgrade to the one touch release valve.

Even with same brand, it has taken time for my wife and I to get use to the new tool.  Actually, she has about given up on it.  My erection is perpendicular to my body.  When I enter her it pushes straight down and has no flexibility.  Because the glans are not engorged (and naturally small) the tips of the implant has no padding.  It is like having sex with chopsticks. 

My urologist says it is where it should be, her gynecologist says she is anatomically correct.  Is there hope?

Jeffrey
48 in Tulsa 

[jackp]

timik

Glad to hear you are progressing well.

Dr. Wilson is from Little Rock AR. I considered him but at the time he was not using the LGX so I opted to go to Vanderbilt and use Dr. Milam.

More and more doctors are coming to the realization that the LGX will help men regain lost size due to peyronies, prostate cancer and other penile problems.

The sample that was taken was probally part of the spongy material in your corpora and in no way removed any part of the corpora or other penile tissue.

Dr. Milam has a special surgical instrument to dialate the corpora. He instructs his students on it's use and always cautions against puncturing the urethra.

Good Luck and enjoy your new toy.

Jackp

[timk]

There is a California doctor (by way of Arkansas, I think), Dr. Steve Wilson, who has been to Freiburg 3 or 4 times giving advice on how to do implants. I understand he is one of the leading implant doctors in the USA. Anyway, my doctor was following his advice. As far as I have been able to determine, Europeans have little experience with implants and are using methods developed in the USA. Dr. Wilson seems to have established a beachhead here in Germany; I've seen that he has also been advising other doctors here, as well.

Dr Leiber did indeed remove (at least some of) the spongy material in the penis; he said it was necessary to make room for the cylinders. (I signed a release form to allow him to do research with that which he took out.)

Wilson and Milam seem to have developed slightly different methods as far as inflation is concerned. I'll post again after the activation to let you know how that works out.

I agree wearing tight fitting briefs helps reduce the pain and discomfort. Being totally deflated, though, I can let it hang down more or less normally.

It's only been three weeks, but so far, so good.

[Old Man]

JackP:

Thanks a million for your explanation of what happens with implant surgery. For some reason, I was under the wrong impression or misinformed about the removal of the erectile tissue from the corporal chambers.

Might have been in the early days that this was the case and the procedure was updated. At any rate, your post cleared up that for me and I am sure others. Thanks again.

Old Man

[jackp]

OK let me see if I can inform you as to what happens with an implant (IPP).

First off nothing is removed. The corpora's are simply dilated.

In Europe they do some things differently that here in the states. One thing it is only a over night stay, what they call 23 hour surgery.  Dr. Milam only leaves the penis one and a half squeezes on the pump inflated or 20-30% inflated. That is to help with soreness at activation in six weeks. It stays that way for the entire 6 weeks. A fully inflated penis will be painful after a few hours.

There will be some pain and soreness for several weeks, mostly soreness. The pump is another subject. It is hard to get used to, it took me 6 weeks before I could cross my legs. Waring a Jock Strap for a couple of weeks along with Jockey Pouch Briefs for the entire 6 weeks will help. Be sure to ware your penis up on your belly pointing to your navel. That will help keep it straight and reduce pain.

The 3 extension he is talking about are rear tip extenders. They come in 1/2 cm and 1 cm sizes. These are used to custom fit the cylinders to your corpora. They are at the base of your penis and are hard to find and/or feel, but they can be sore for several days.

What he mean by cracking the peyronies is during surgery the surgeon simply breaks up the plaque. This will let the penis become straight again. Again nothing is removed.

There is a myth that parts of the penis are removed for the IPP. That is completely false. The pump and/or reservoir are placed through your groin where your testicle descended at birth. The pump with the pubic approach or the reservoir with the scrotal approach.

With the AMS 700 LGX after activation he will regain 15 to 20% more length. The LGX is the only IPP that expands in length and girth, all others only expand in girth and will not restore lost penile length.

Hope this clears up the confusion.

Jackp

[Old Man]

Les:

If I may add my 2 cents in here. The surgery does not remove the corpora chambers, only the erectile tissue contained within them. The tunica along with the septum that divides the corporal chambers is left intact and the surgeon simply strips out the spongy erectile tissue inside the chambers or tubes if you may call them that.

This why that any person considering implant surgery must be absolutely certain and convinced that implants are the "last resort". There are cases where implants must be done in the interest of correcting really bad Peyronies Disease symptoms and other urinary problems. A diabetic that has no means of achieving erections are good candidates of implant surgery.

I am sure that JackP can step in here and give us much more insight about this subject.

Old Man

[lwillisjr]

I'll add my .02 and hope the jackp weighs in here. For the implant surgery they DO NOT remove the tunica. They remove the corpora chambers which are inside the tunica, and the corpora chambers are replaced with inflatable "balloons".

I'm not sure how the plaque on the tunica would be "cracked", but I can understand either breaking up the plaque or making slight incisions across it to loosen it up so that the tunica can stretch back to its original size/shape.

Les

[fubar]

Tim
hope all is good and you are healing nicely. Reading your story confused me.I'm not sure what three extensions are for.also he cracked the plaque that is more alarming. As from what I have read  when given a implant. The tunica is removed plaque would not be an issue as the surgeon  would simply pull off the tunica with the Peyronie's intact.meaning the plaque is basically attached to the tissue that makes you a man. Once that is removed no need for plaque.

It is no longer an issue because it has been removed. So cracking up plaque I do not understand with your surgery. That said I wish you the very best and many healthy erections.

Good luck keep us posted
Fubar

[lwillisjr]

Thanks timk!  Please keep us updated. Hopefully we will have another successful surgery story to add to our archives.

[timk]

I just wanted to report back that I had the implant done 3 weeks ago. I went to the University Hospital in Freiburg (Germany) on Thursday, Aug 5 to be checked over, had the OP on Friday, the implant was left fully inflated for 24 hours and half inflated for another 24 - to force the blood out, they said. The catheter was pulled on Sunday and the drainage tube on Monday, and I went home Tuesday.

In total I spent 5 nights in the hospital, and the whole thing cost Euro 10,000 or about $13,000. My (private) insurance covered it all, and I was told that the German public insurance companies would have covered it, too, if the cause of the ED is organic.

Dr. Christian Leiber (christian.leiber@uniklinik-freiburg.de - (49) 0761 270 2891) performed the OP and was assisted by his boss, the head of Urology, Prof. Wetterauer. I had the AMS 700 LGX implanted; afterwards Dr Leiber said he put 3 "extensions" on the base and "cracked" the Peyronies Disease plaque, which, as far as I can tell, has straightened things out entirely - Peyronies Disease problem solved!

There was a dull pain, similar to having an erection for a very long time, for about 10 days getting steadily better all the time. The pump in the scrotum is still something I'm getting used to, but again, it's getting less noticeable by the day. And I think it's the 3 extensions that have been forcing me to sit down very gingerly.

I go back to have it activated in the end of Sept.

I'll keep you informed.

[Old Man]

HOJO:

Sorry to hear about your ED as well as Peyronies Disease problems. I went down the penile injections road for ED as well as Peyronies Disease. Took twelve of the shots for Peyronies Disease with each one causing more and more problems. Injections for ED only gave me more plaque and nodules and they did not solve the ED problem at all either.

After the pills failed to work for me, the impotence evaluation therapist at my uro office suggested trying the VED therapy. At the time the three cylinder VED models were not on the market. I was prescribed an Osbon Esteem one cylinder VED. The therapist taught me how to use it and the exercise sessions started relieving some of my problems immediately.

After a bit of practice, I learned how to use the VED for erections in order to have sex. The Peyronies Disease problems took about a year to get rid of and all of my curves/bends and nodules/plaque. And, today after 14 years, I am as straight as I ever was before ED and/or Peyronies Disease. I can get natural erections firm enough for sex by hand manipulation to an erection and then placing a retainer ring on the base of my penis to hold it up. BTW, I reach the age of 81 in September this year

So, I would strongly urge you to check out the VED board on the home page of the forum when you sign in. There is a wealth of information there about our histories with VED therapy as well as positive results. There is thread that discusses the different models of VEDs, three cylinders, one cylinders, and also one for those guys who made their own VED with the protocol for their use.

So, bottom line, do some more homework by reading up on the many and varied treatments guys have tried on this forum. Some had success with one therapy, others had success with the VEDs and some had success with the shots and traction therapy.

You owe to yourself to explore all the options open for you at this time. Do not go off on a tangent and do something you would regret later for having done. We are all here to help, so make use of our expertise on the subject of ED and Peyronies Disease.

Old Man

[HOJO]

voulezvous:
I am 58 and viagra does not work for me nor do any of the other ED pills, It only gives me headaches and makes me very flushed, what does work is Postaglandin injections, this allows me to penetrate about 40% of the time.
I have been doing a lot of research on the web and am now on my second opinon doctor that I actually found through this forum.
Dr. Milam from Vanderbilt was the one to confirm what my first urologist had recommended however, the first urologist had also mentioned having the surgery to only take care of the peyronies and just use injections after that but from what I have read that is even worse than the implant surgery.
I plan on asking Dr. Milam about a drug that is being released in 2011 (Xiaflex) to date they seem to have a 67% effective rate on peyronies I don't know if this takes care of the ED also.
I have also been reading a lot of how the injections can cause Peyronies, so I see my only choices are to wait and do nothing or keep injecting and doing more harm or surgery.
So with those being my options, I'm not sure at this point what to do
If anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know.
Thank you all.

[voulezvous]

Hojo,

There's another consideration to be made before you move to implant surgery. What is your age?

I am 68 & had an implant done last August. Like JackP, I am very pleased with the outcome BUT I had it done under Medicare AND I was already unable to sustain an erection even pre-Peyronies Disease.

My opinion - as it seems to be with others - is to go slowly. If you are able to achieve penetration & please yourself as well as your partner, I would try to take an optimistic approach that other, less drastic, methods of correction will be coming along within a few years.

I waited 2 1/2 years before I decided to go with the implant. And I did a lot of research on my own.

Don't underestimate the pain, recovery & irreversibility aspects also of the penile implant.  Its no picnic, believe me.

[BrooksBro]

I concur with the comments of those already posting a reply.

It appears to me the urologists most experienced in treating Peyronies consider the ability to achieve erections and subsequent penetration as critical markers for therapy, especially plication, graft, or implant surgery.  The first requirement is achieving an erection.  Obviously, without one, you won't penetrate.  (At least I never could, but maybe there is some technique that I never learned.)  If you can achieve erections (by any means) AND penetrate, then surgery is not appropriate.  This is regardless of the severity of angulation or the direction. 

Since your urologist said traction and VED therapy are only for the "most severe" angulation, (and most of us here would STRONGLY disagree with that statement!), that implies to me that your angulation is "less severe," which is even less reason for implant surgery.

I am skeptical that there are reliable angle measurement techniques for this condition.  There seem to be too many variables for more than +/- 10 or 20 degrees of accuracy.  So, is that 20 degrees, or 40 degrees?  There is a big difference between them in my opinion.

As long as I can achieve erections and penetrate, I am willing to try nearly any other therapy.  It appears to me that implant surgery is not always a one-time event.  Depending on many factors, these devices can and do fail, which requires replacement.  At $20,000+, an implant is NOT something that I would ever consider, until all other therapy methods have been tried and proven unsuccessful.  I consider it irresponsible for a urologist to recommend surgery as the initial or only treatment, when there are published medical studies that both traction and VED therapy can be helpful in restoring function.

Perhaps the patient's satisfaction is also an important factor.  If we (and our partner) are satisfied with our ability to engage in intercourse, despite any difficulties, then surgery seems less desired.  If we are not satisfied with it, then surgery seems more like a possibility.

One reason to quickly seek implant surgery might be if I were a professional male dancer (low risk of that being a successful endeavor for me!), where the size and appearance of the bulge in my g-string was critical to my income.

 

[cowboyfood]

I have recently been diagnosed with Peyronies and here is a laugh . . . anyway I am scheduled for surgery for the peyronie’s and an implant in August 2010. I've read a lot about restoring length using a VED, however I asked my doctor about such things as traction devices (which I am assuming takes VED into account) and he has discouraged me from this saying that "these are only for very severe peyronies" (mine is about 40-50 degree curvature).

HOJO,

I'm confused by your post because the above comment does not make sense to me about your condition; I would imagine that surgery and implant are the "very severe condition" treatments

CF

[Old Man]

HOJO:

First, welcome to the forum. You have come to a place where the members here have gone through many and varied types and forms of Peyronies Disease. Along with this they have encountered erectile dysfunction as well. The members here have many years of experience with both disorder/diseases and have much knowledge about how to deal with them. You should do some deep research on the many forum boards about Peyronies Disease before you consent to any form of surgery if your bend/curve is no worse than you mention in your post.

Second, penile implant very well have their place in treating ED and Peyronies Disease. However, it is our considered recommendation that you get at least a second opinion from a more qualified uro than your present on appears to be. Apparently, he has very little knowledge about vacuum erection devices as well as traction devices based on what his comments to you were about them. VED therapy following the 26 week protocol for the three cylinder VEDs has proven to be a valuable weapon in treating Peyronies Disease as well as ED for many guys on this forum. IMHO, you should consider this therapy before consenting to implant surgery for the reason stated below.

I would strongly urge you to contact JackP on this forum before you embark on a course of penile implant surgery based on your present diagnoses. From your post, I gather that you do need to do some more searching for a therapy before the surgery. JackP is the resident expert on implant surgery and he can steer you very well in the course of action you should follow first.

We are all here to help in any way, so feel free to ask questions of anyone on the forum. Lastly, IMHO, implant surgery is the "last resort" after all other options are exhausted. Once done, implant surgery cannot be reversed, so be careful with your choice about it. However, it would only be fair to relate that there are some cases of Peyronies Disease and/or ED that only surgery can successfully help. So, bottom line of what I am saying is, do your homework before finalizing plans for surgery. Again, welcome aboard one of the best Peyronies Disease forums around!!!

Old Man

[GS]

HOJO,

This is only my opinion, but it sounds to me like you are moving pretty fast.  I have had peyronies for a couple of years now and I also have a 45 degree curve.  But, with a willing partner, I can still have intercourse.  I don't know your situation on that, but that's probably going to be my determining factor for considering surgery.

I am sure you will get feedback from more knowledgeable people than me, but good luck on whatever you decide.

[HOJO]

I have recently been diagnosed with Peyronies and here is a laugh, I think I may have had it for about a year and being totally ignorant of this disease I thought all kinds of things like maybe my I should not wear briefs because my underwear was too tight when I was getting night time erections etc., anyway I am scheduled for surgery for the peyronie’s and an implant in August 2010. I've read a lot about restoring length using a VED, however I asked my doctor about such things as traction devices (which I am assuming takes VED into account) and he has discouraged me from this saying that "these are only for very severe peyronies" (mine is about 40-50 degree curvature).
erections come and go but do not stay for very long. I have also been put on Postaglandin injections from my first Urologist saying if I develop peyronies on the other side it may straighten out the penis or the strength of the injections may straighten the penis. I have also been told that vitamin E is useless.
I have also been reading about Xiaflex therapy which sounds promising but not available until an expected date of 2011.
Does anyone have any comments on what I any going through as I am a little confused with all the differing opinions and not sure now if I should postpone the surgery.

[magicus]

Sony,  there is  message private for you....  thank's

[jackp]

It has now been about 19 months since my penile implant surgery at Vanderbilt by Dr. Douglas Milam.

When I posted my one year story I did not think things could get any better. I am delited to tell you that things have improved since then.

I have gained back over 90% of my length lost to peyronies and my normal girth has been restored.

Now it is like peyronies, ED, venous leakage, loss of night time erections, and corporal fibrosis never happend. Making love to my lovely wife of 41 years is some of the best of our lives.

Yes, there was the pain of surgery, the fumbling like a horny teen at first, the learning curve of first use and the travel to Nashville. All the discomfort is a distant memory. The only way I know to describe things now is like two people very much in love making love to each other. The awesome feeling of being NORMAL again.

Jackp
 

[kendotx]

timk

It can take 3 months + to notice a gain in penile length.

In one year I gained almost 3/4" in length. All of us are different so I can not tell you what to expect but it should show improvement in three months, some take longer.

I would use a VED at least 2 months before getting an implant. It will help keep your penis healthy, similar to night time erections. Dr. Milam recommended using the VED up to about 48 hours before surgery.

My penile loss to peyronies was 1 1/2". I am happy to report that with the AMS 700 LGX I have regained 90% of that back. Without the VED exercise I would not have been as lucky.

Jackp

[jackp]

timk

It can take 3 months + to notice a gain in penile length.

In one year I gained almost 3/4" in length. All of us are different so I can not tell you what to expect but it should show improvement in three months, some take longer.

I would use a VED at least 2 months before getting an implant. It will help keep your penis healthy, similar to night time erections. Dr. Milam recommended using the VED up to about 48 hours before surgery.

My penile loss to peyronies was 1 1/2". I am happy to report that with the AMS 700 LGX I have regained 90% of that back. Without the VED exercise I would not have been as lucky.

Jackp

[timk]

Jackp,

You recommend using a VED; I noticed you used the one cylinder device but recommend the 3 cylinder one. Can I ask you why and what were the results with the one cylinder?

Before I got Peyronies Disease, I had about 18cm; now after following your instructions for the 1 cylinder device, I have about 16cm at the end of the 100% 5 minutes - I've been using it about 3 weeks now. How much improvement can I expect? How much longer should I use the VED before getting an implant?

Timk

[desertman]

... if you need some information about Prof. Dr. Sava Perovic and Dr. Rados Djinjovič from Serbia ... just ask.

Whatever you have - can you share that with us?

I stumbled upon him in my research on Peyronies Disease surgery. He might be a very interesting option. You can download his quite impressive CV from the website of failedhypospadias_dot_com (unfortunately I cannot post a direct link here, you have to find the right page yourself).

If you have any information about Sava Perovic or even personal experiences it would be great if you could put them up here!

[timk]

I got a reply from the other hospital (Ammerland-Klinik - Dr Schattka). It's located in Westerstede by Bremen. They say that only about 400 implants are made a year in Germany, which is probably because the insurance only pays if there is an organic cause of the ED. They also recommend a 5 day hospital stay and have done 39 operations in the past year.

[timk]

I've been doing more research myself and found that the university hospital in Freiburg was given the "Center of Excellence" award by AMS. I e-mailed AMS here and asked if there were other such centers. It seems one more was just awarded last week to a hospital in northern Germany.

I wrote an e-mail to Freiburg and got an answer within hours. They said that according to AMS they were the leader in implants in 2008 having performed (only) 41 in two years. They use the method developed by Dr. Steven K. Wilson, who has visited them 3 times over the last few years to give them pointers.

They want to keep me in the hospital for 5 days, which might be good if there are complications since Freiburg is a 3 hour drive from here. Although it still seems like a long time. They are sure my insurance will cover all costs.

I'll be sending an e-mail to the other hospital shortly to see what they have to say.

[jackp]

timk

I checked with Vanderbilt and the average cost for a patient without insurance is just over $20,000.00. That includes doctor, clinic and hospital cost. Also, they said there are other ways to help reduce cost if needed.

I agree on the VED, I had a lover hate relationship with using it. The daily exercise got to be a regular routine but those darn constriction rings. I tried all the rings and found that the Osborn worked best.

Good Luck on your search. I sent you a PM a few minutes ago.

Jack

[timk]

jackp,

Thanks for the tip about the Coral Gables guy; I got an email from him saying his total all-in cost is $19,000.

I'm going to try to find a doc here who does the operation - my urologist is looking for me - but it doesn't seem to have caught on over here yet. It's a shame there aren't more men like you reporting on the experiences with an implant. If the majority of implant recipients were as positive as you, there would be a lot more done.

I just got a VED and started using it yesterday, and I have to say, god help us if that's the only way to have sex. You have to have a patient and desperate partner to use that thing regularly.

timk

[jackp]

timk

I do not remember what the video said he charged. There are a couple of stories you need to read about this doctor. One is Curt's story on Bob Bacon's Blog www.penileimplant.blogspot.com. Another is to google his name and read about the gentleman in Miami FL before making up your mind to go see him.

Dr. Milam at Vanderbilt uses the infrapubic approach and 98% of his implants are the AMS 700 LGX. For a good graphic go to www.amslgx.com and it will show the comparison between an implant that expands in length and one that does not.

Surgery takes less than 75 minutes. For me that was about the time from leaving the room to recovery. 

If you need anymore information just let me know.

Jackp

[timk]

jackp

In the video (Reply #53), didn't the Coral Gables doctor say his operation only costs $10,000-$20,000. He was finished in less than 15 minutes with an infection rate of under 1% (one patient who didn't follow orders - twice). Impressive!

What method do they use in Vanderbilt? How long did the OP take?

timk

[Old Man]

grayling:

OK, have no idea why you should have missed the VED procedure. There is a complete board listed on the home page of the main forum. There are many and varied subtopics listed there.

Anyway, I will go into somewhat detail about what a VED and it procedure is and how to use it. VED stands for Vacuum Erection Device. It was originally developed by a company in Augusta, GA for the purpose of obtaining better erections for sexual activity. It was soon discovered that it would produce relief from peyronies disease symptoms by stretching the penile plaque and nodules. In most cases this stretching helps relieve the symptoms and can return ones penis to somewhat of its original state before peyronies struck.

Suggestion: Log in to the Peyronies Disease forum, look for the home page link. Scroll down through the main headings until you find the one on VEDs. Look for a topic that interests you and open it. There you will find the posts and answers that has been posted on that particular subject. There are several protocols listed based on which VED one chooses to use. There is also one listed for using the VED after penile surgery written by JackP who has had an implant done. He gives specific instructions on the VED use.

I am sure that you have many questions at this time, so feel free to ask any and all that come to mind for you. This forum has more current information about Peyronies Disease than most on the web.

Old Man

[grayling]

I'm new to the site.  I've heard the term "VED" proceedure used several times now.  I've looked for an hour and can't find what that means.  Can anyone explain it?

[jackp]

voulezous

I have seen the video. It represents both the pubic and scrotal approach.

Glad to have a seconding. I agree 100% that the VED protocol is the best thing a man can do for himself by keeping his penis healthy.

There are very few medical centers like Vanderbilt. The good news is Dr. Milam has several interns in training to become Male Sexual Function Specialist. One of the interns that assisted with my implant was a lady board certified urologist. Dr. Milam said she was in the second year of his four year program. She actually told me she was going to practice implant surgery.

I hear good and bad about other centers. Some of the "best" refuse to recognise that the LGX actually works. I hope Dr. Milams paper in an upcoming publication of the Journal Urology will help. On the bright side more and more doctors are recognising the advantage of the LGX.

Enjoy your new toy.

Jackp

[voulezvous]

I recently came accross this 2007 web video that, I think, does an excellent job of describing & showing the process of penile implant surgery:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3849174671169413222#

JackP continues to do a terrific job of responding to questions about this topic so there's no need for me (as a recent implantee) to add much other than my "seconding" his position about what a fantastic option it is for those Peyronies Disease sufferers like me who tried every other possibility without success.

If you watch the video to the end (its about an hour long) you will note that one of the drs. being intereviewed makes a strong point about the importance of continuing to do whatever you can to achieve some erection capability in order to avoid shrinkage. For those of us who have dealt with Peyronies Disease for years, it underscores the importance of regular usage of at least a VED even if for no other reason that there may be implant surgery somewhere in your future.

Its also worth noting that one of the comments made is that 80% of the implants done in the U.S. each year are by 10 drs.

Seems to me that this site should do all that it can to identify who these drs. are...

[Sony]

Magicus...if you need some information about prof.dr.Sava Perovic and dr.Rados Djinjovič from Serbia..just ask.

Happy new year to all...

[jackp]

Most of us are cautious about asking the wife or partner the $64,000 question.

The only complaint my wife had about my implant was in the beginning, it caused her virginal soreness. We first thought it was just getting used to having intercourse with a hard penis again. Her Ob-GYN had retired and our PCP recommended a doctor that specialized in painful intercourse. She went to him and he gave her a prescription for a pill that she inserted twice a week. Almost instantly the soreness went away.

Back to the question.  After a romp the other evening I asked the question I never asked but assumed. How does my penis feel now? She said "Jack, it feels just like you always did. I can not tell the difference." This is from a lady that is known for being brutally honest.

All you guys out there considering an implant and wondering how the lady feels about it. Approximately 95% of couples are happy with the results.

Try everything you can first, keep your penis healthy with the VED protocol. When all the pills, shots and alternative therapy fail the IPP is the way to go. The AMS 700 LGX, www.amslgx.com, is the only IPP that will help restore your loss to peyronies and ED. In my case it has changed our lives for the best.

Good luck to all on this forum. Have a happy and safe new year.

Jackp

[chiguy]

I don't want this to get political, but there is some hope for Musicman with medicare. The final version of the US Senate Health Bill will lower Medicare age to 55 in many situations. Perhaps if you can wait it out until the health bill passes, you might be able to have them cover some of it.

[jackp]

Musicman

Wow do not know what to say off the top of my head.

Some men have had success in negoations with the doctor and hospital. That got the cost down to about 1/2 of the normal fee. 1/2 normal fee is usually more than the insurance companies pay. My bill at Vanderbilt before Medicare was $33,000.00. Medicare paid them $9,000.00 with my supplement paying 20%. Also some doctors will operate in the morning and let you go home that afternoon. That would save cost.

If you do not do heavy lifting you should be able to go back to work in a week or so depending on how you feel.

Yes, you are correct when the pills and everything else fails the implant is the only option left.

Good Luck

Jackp

[MUSICMAN]

Too young for Medicare. I'm self employed and do make a living so can't get free homeless health care. Business is real bad and if I close my business ( real small business ) I can't even get unemployment benefits.

[chiguy]

Musicman,

Not sure if you are in the United States, but if you are in the US and of a certain age, you are Medicare eligible. It is my understanding that Medicare does cover sexual dysfunction surgery. Maybe some of the other members can weigh in here.

[MUSICMAN]

Jack I am happy for your success although I do know you had a bunch of issues / problems before you received the implant. This disease offers few options. If a man has a slight bend and normal erections they can still function. Some men have had some success with medications, ved and we are still waiting for a medical break through. Some men have to have surgery to try and correct the problem as sex is not possible do to the degree of the disease. Surgery has it's risks but if it is the only real option then I feel it is the right choice. I fall into the class that meds & ved has not helped and I am not able to have sex. My option at this time is to have surgery and I am ready for that but, with no insurance coverage and no cash I am out of luck. I have come to accept that my sex life is over and the distance that grows between my wife of 37 years is the way the chips fall. It sad that there is medical help for conditions that people have but money talks and bull **** walks.

[jackp]

I had my new toy last Christmas. It was new and like any new toy there were things I did not fully understand.

Some toys we put on the shelf or just leave idle. As my new toy became more and more a part of me I now understand how blessed I am. I can be normal again after years of pills, shots and botched surgery.

This toy is something that gave me back the intimacy with my lovely wife I had missed for years. The gleam in her eyes when the Doctor told her the implant was a success was worth more than gold.

The benefits of the toy are many. Erection whenever or whereever  wanted, for as long as wanted without worry about time constraints. No more cold to the touch, just warm and natural feeling. The return of a lot of lost size from peyronies and all the other complications is a big moral booster. Can do things now even a young man would envy.

The toy I received last Christmas is not one that you put on a shelf or disregard. It has now become a natural part of me.

The decision to go for the implant was not an easy one. There were many obstacles to overcome. Faith, hope and a lovely and caring wife helped me through the obstacles.

This Christmas I can say I am surely blessed. I have gift that keeps on giving.

Jackp

[Tim468]

See my other response. Get to your urologist asap.

Tim

[etshy]

I am new to this forum and I posted this on the off topic forum as I'm not sure where I'm allowed as I don't have Peyronies Disease.  I had penile implant surgery one month ago due to ED from Prostate Cancer surgery.  I had also developed scar tissue and some curvature due to penile injections.  They have the implant 3/4's inflated and I have it supported with an athletic support. I'm having difficulty with my stream as it goes in all directions.  I also experience pain in my penis as soon as I have an urge to urinate.

Are these things normal and do they get better with time?  They have not deflated the device as yet due to inflammation but the major pain has subsided.

TIA

[jackp]

I was luck enough to fall in love with and get married to a wonderful lady 41 years ago. Through the years we had our problems and worked them out.

One thing I learned with this lady is that there is sex and then there is making love. Two completely different things.

After my failed implant I lost my focus. I just wanted to have sex again. Fortunately she helped me bring my focus back to making love and not sex. There is a lot more to making love than just intercourse.

Today with my implant I have been able to renew my lost ability to have an erection. But I still remember her words to me during my darkest hour, "Jack, I did not marry you for your penis."

With the renewed ability to have intercourse with this lovely lady it has made making love the pleasure that God meant it to be. Not me not her but us.

For you men thinking about do I want to have the surgery or not remember if making love to your lady is your desire the reward will be greater than you expected.

Just my thoughts.

Jackp