Penile Prosthesis Use Declining in U.S.

NEW ORLEANS—Use of penile prostheses to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) has declined overall, but their use has increased in patients with significant medical comorbidities, according to study findings presented at the American Urological Association annual meeting.

Researchers studied 88,163 men diagnosed with ED from 2001 (reference year) to 2010. Of these, 2,659 (3%) underwent penile prosthesis insertions. Use of penile prostheses decreased significantly from 4.6% in 2002 to 2.3% in 2010. These decreases were significant across demographic factors, including geographic location, age, and ethnicity. 

Men aged 65–74 years and from the South and West, and those with Charlson comorbidity scores greater than 1 were more likely than other ED sufferers to undergo penile prosthesis insertion. Additionally, results showed that black men were more likely than white men to have a semi-rigid prosthesis than a multicomponent inflatable prosthesis.