Invasive, Irreversible Surgery for Erectile Dysfunction Is on the Table

A man in his late 50s with long-standing erectile dysfunction has tried medications, a vacuum pump, and injections and is now scheduled for an inflatable penile prosthesis; the procedure is described as irreversible and carries surgical risks.

I am a gay man in my late 50s with years of erectile dysfunction and several medications that can affect erections. I have tried PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra and Cialis, a vacuum pump, and injections; the latter options work but are not conducive to spontaneous sex. A urologist proposed an inflatable penile prosthesis, insurance initially resisted coverage, and the patient reports surgery is scheduled in a few months. The column highlights that the procedure is irreversible and carries surgical risks. Key facts: - Patient profile: man in his late 50s with long-term erectile dysfunction and multiple medications that may affect erections. - Treatments tried: oral medications (Viagra/Cialis) with diminishing effect, vacuum pump, and penile injections, plus testosterone supplementation. - Current plan: urologist recommended an inflatable penile prosthesis and the patient has a surgery date in a few months. - Permanence and outcomes: the procedure is described as irreversible; the penis’s structure can change so that medications may be less effective afterward. - Surgical risk and coverage: infection after implant is reported at about 1 in 100 in the cited interview, and insurance coverage can be contested initially. Summary: The reader has pursued multiple therapies and is moving toward a surgical implant that is intended to restore erectile function and enable on-demand erections. The procedure is permanent and has a small but real infection risk, and insurance coverage may require advocacy. The next procedural step is the scheduled surgery in a few months.