Will implants Improve?

[Hawk]

I along with others have assumed there will be some significant improvements in implants down the road but I read something that makes me wonder.

It had to do with the totally unrelated topic of restless leg syndrome RLS.  There was a drug developed that works great for 90% of the people that have RLS.  The 10% that it does not work for are out of luck.  One of these patients was told by the doctor that it is not likely anything will come along unless it is discovered by accident as sometimes happens.  He explained that with the cost of drug development and 90% of the RLS patients very satisfied that there just are not enough potential profits to make research and development feasible for the other 10% without a life-threatening problem.  Unfortunately, that makes perfect sense.

I add to that the fact that I know implant frequency has dropped with the development of PDE5 inhibitors.  Many men that had few options are now fine with these drugs and satisfied enough with them that they would not ever even look into an implant.  

Dr. Eid and I discussed some basic design and I mentioned that I think I could intuitively tweak implant design and improve it.  The pointed rear base, the square AMS pump, just seem to be no brainers for a redesign.  He told me that he has talked to both companies about some design improvements but the cost of even simple redesign and manufacture is high, especially when it would not increase the market. More men would not get an implant because of small design changes.  MAYBE they could steal enough of the competitors market to make it worthwhile but that is a risk.

It seems to me that this does not bode well for new technology for improved implants or maybe even other Erectile Dysfunction solutions.  Once acceptable solutions exist a company has to hope that a new product is sought after by enough men that it will pay for research, development, and marketing.  That well might happen but every time a new idea comes along on how to tweak a redesign, it is not going to just make it into production. Sometimes very good solutions kill incentive for great solutions.

[Pfract]

Some amazing discussion points right here. I would too say the frequency dropped because of the same reasons. But at the same time, it's easy to see there are plenty of men that don't get one because they don't know the solution exists, or because the health care system doesn't allow them to get one since it is considered the final solution and they lack the funds to go private; also....  There is only a tiny fraction of urologists implanting, out of all that exist and of those we know not all do a good job....

If only we had a way to raise awareness to the masses about this....  

[Hawk]

I have to disagree. I do not think that is the reason for a drop.  I agree that many men don't know about the solution BUT that was always true. If anything implants are not less known than they were 20 years ago.  Men were less likely to even discuss ED with a doctor 20 years ago than they are today because ED solutions are advertised on TV.  The same is true of insurance.  Insurance coverage for implants has not reduced.

[SW01]

I had no idea implants existed. The very first general urologist I saw never even brought it up. He just said I was old take cialis or viagra and my fall would not cause it. He did no tests at all period other than testosterone, which i had none.

It was not for another year when peyronies showed up and I started going through the internet I found out about them.

Then got pissed and looked for other docs.

Like I said before, I waited to long to get one. Wish that ad on tv had said LEARN ABOUT THE CURVE, IMPLANTS ARE AN OPTION FOR ED. Not sure how the commercial would go but if I had seen one ad I could have asked about them.

I just hope they keep getting better and better. Which they have over the years. They do keep improving if you look back at the first ones. If you think it is a hard decision today think about being the first guy to get one of those original ones.

As an aside. Used this titan again last night for a couple hours. Up, down. Standing up, laying down, frontside, backside, sideways. Getting real comfortable knowing I am not going to break it. So pretty happy with technology so far with it. It works pretty daggone well. She is starting to like the fact if I finish we just keep going.

[tomas1]

I was just thinking about an improvement they should make to the Titan and CX.
In the part of the cylinders that stay internally, they should put like accordion pleats in them to allow for expansion.
That could possibly minimize the hated "dog ears".
It wouldn't present problems for use by Peyronies sufferers.
They can use my idea and I won't sue them.

[Hontas]

Increased durability? Like if they increased the durability of it to lets say, 40-50 years , i think many of the sufferers here would jump on it since there is nothing to lose almost. But oh, i am sorry, how dare i would ask for improvement of the durability, market wants to reimplant to earn more money my bad.

Jokes aside, i wish they made a durable version that is maybe 4 times more expensive, soo that would still earn them more than enough money to maybe cover the reimplant income. Even i, as an avid discourager for an implant in most of the cases would jump the gun and get it to be honest. Durability and nerve numbness are my two big concerns that make me not go bionic

[Hawk]

Actually, they are guaranteed for life so the manufacture loses money on every failure.  If Coloplast would just use AMS tubing it would be a huge improvement in longevity, and if AMS would use a Titan pump which is smaller and less squared off.   Minor changes with significant advantages.

I agree that longevity improvements are an important step.  

[Hontas]

Is there actually a more durable material though? There are 10000 types of plastic and i don't imagine they implant other parts of the body with parts as fragile as this. Is it too much to ask for 40 years of durability for a part without any money limits, i mean money can be earned but a botched implant or repeated implants are much worse compared to being out of money.

[Hawk]

Coloplast Titan cylinders are extremely durable.  They very seldom fail.  Their tubing that goes from the reservoir to the pump and cylinders is the first thing prone to fail.  The tubing is more prone to fail than the tubing used by AMS,  AMS cylinders are more prone to fail than Titan cylinders.  

I know of no other place in the body where you need a plastic replacement that is rugged to withstand high pressure and very flexible.  

[Hontas]

I mean they are more likely 20 years durable though not 40. If the cylinders can withstand 40 years, and AMS' tubing lasts 40 years thats good. In any case better parts need to be developed.

[Hawk]

I agree they need to be.  The question is will they be developed?  Do the companies have any reason to think they will bring in more money by spending the funds necessary to develop and manufacture improvements.  If they are going to end up with the same number of implants, either way, then they won't.  If it would mean increased profits, then they will.

[Alibaba]

Only a few reasons to improve. High failure rate leads to dropping sales, New sales opportunity such as a cheaper product, higher profit opportunity, cost of litigation leads to improvements, government oversight into failures or recalls, competition. Bottom line is the only incentive is financial. Nobody is going to do it because it just feels right to help someone.