Inflatable penile implant: Coloplast Titan in Atlanta

How an inflatable penile implant works

An inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) is a three-piece device connected by tubing and filled with sterile saline.

• Cylinders: two cylinders sit side by side inside the shaft of the penis, in the spaces that fill with blood during a natural erection.
• Pump: a small pump sits inside the scrotum, between the testicles, where you can reach it easily.
• Reservoir: a fluid reservoir sits in the lower abdomen, out of sight.

To get an erection, you squeeze the pump several times. Fluid moves from the reservoir into the cylinders and the penis becomes firm. You control the firmness by how much you pump. When you are finished, you use the deflation control on the pump to return the fluid to the reservoir, and the penis goes back to a relaxed, natural look.

The Coloplast Titan implant is MRI-conditional. Watch the Coloplast Titan Touch patient demonstration video to see how inflation and deflation work.

Coloplast Titan Touch and Titan OTR

Our inflatable implants are the Coloplast Titan Touch and Titan OTR, three-piece implants made by Coloplast. Men's Health Georgia has been a Coloplast Center of Excellence since 2016. With the Titan Touch, you inflate the cylinders by pressing the pump bulb in the scrotum and control the firmness by pumping until you are satisfied with the erection. Your surgeon selects the model and cylinder size during surgery based on careful measurements.

How to inflate and deflate a penile implant

1. Inflate: find the pump in the scrotum and squeeze and release the bulb several times until the penis is as firm as you want.
2. Use: the erection lasts until you deflate it.
3. Deflate: press the release area on the pump; fluid returns to the reservoir and the penis relaxes.

You will not use the implant until you are cleared, usually 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, and our team shows you how it works first.

Who is a candidate

• Men with erectile dysfunction that has not responded to oral medication or penile injection therapy, or who cannot use those treatments.
• Men with ED after prostate or bladder cancer surgery when other treatment has not worked.
• Men with Peyronie's disease and ED, where an implant can restore function and help straighten the penis.

If you can still have natural erections firm enough for intercourse, think carefully: placing the cylinders replaces the spongy erectile tissue, so natural erections are not expected afterward. See who is a candidate.

Before surgery

• A consultation with an implant surgeon to review your history, prior ED treatments and goals, and an exam.
• Tests that can include a urine culture to check for bacteria and other tests your surgeon orders.
• Good control of conditions such as diabetes, and treatment of any infection, before surgery.
• Insurance prior authorization, which can affect the surgery date.
• The penile implant checklist (PDF).

During surgery

Surgery is done under anesthesia. Our surgeons are trained in all three approaches (scrotal, infrapubic and subcoronal) and use a modified no-touch technique. Careful measurements are taken at the start of surgery, and the cylinder size is chosen to match the length found on a penile stretch test.

After surgery and recovery

1. First days: swelling and soreness are expected. Follow the post-op discharge instructions (PDF); a post-op care kit is available.
2. About 2 weeks: a follow-up visit to check healing.
3. 4 to 6 weeks: most men are shown how to inflate and deflate the implant and can resume sexual activity.

Cost and insurance

Many insurance plans, including Medicare, may cover an inflatable penile implant when it is medically necessary. See penile implant cost and insurance.

Risks

As with any surgery, there are risks, including pain, reactions to anesthesia, infection that may need repeat surgery, damage to surrounding tissue and mechanical problems with the device. Some men notice a slight decrease in penile length. Your surgeon will review these with you.

Inflatable or malleable?

Inflatable implants let the penis be firm or relaxed on demand. Malleable (semi-rigid) implants are bendable rods that stay firm all the time. See malleable penile implants.

Inflatable penile implant FAQ

Can anyone tell I have an implant?

The implant is completely inside the body. When it is deflated the penis looks relaxed and natural, and small incision scars are usually covered as hair grows back.

Will I still have feeling and orgasm?

An implant does not change skin sensation. Men who could have an orgasm and ejaculate before surgery should still be able to afterward, unless another medical problem affects it.

How long is the surgery and hospital stay?

Your surgeon will explain how long your surgery is expected to take and how long you will stay afterward.

When can I have sex after surgery?

Most patients can begin using the implant and resume sexual activity 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, after your follow-up shows you have healed.

Will the implant make my penis longer?

No. Implants are not designed to make the penis longer or wider, and some men notice a slight decrease in length. Your surgeon may discuss length-preserving procedures at the time of surgery.

Can I have an MRI?

The Coloplast Titan implant is MRI-conditional, which means MRI can be done under specific conditions. Tell your imaging team that you have an implant.

Is the implant covered by insurance?

Many insurance plans cover penile implant surgery for erectile dysfunction, but coverage varies and prior authorization may be needed. See insurance.

How do you inflate and deflate a penile implant?

To inflate, squeeze the pump in the scrotum several times until the erection is as firm as you want. To deflate, press the release area on the pump and the fluid returns to the reservoir. Our team teaches you how before you start using it.

What is the difference between the Titan Touch and Titan OTR?

Both are Coloplast Titan three-piece inflatable implants with cylinders, a pump and a reservoir. Your surgeon chooses the model and size that fit your anatomy and explains how your pump works.

What if the device stops working?

Mechanical problems can happen with any implant and may need another operation. Coloplast offers a replacement policy on its penile implants.