Take the Impotence (ED) Quiz Impotence (ED) Slideshow Pictures Sex-Drive Killers Slideshow Pictures

Semirigid or Malleable Rod Implants

With the semirigid or malleable rod implant, 2 matching cylinders are surgically implanted into the penis. To achieve an erection, you manually adjust the position of the penis. This implant provides enough rigidity for penetration and rarely breaks.

Advantages of the semirigid or malleable rod implant include:

• Simple surgery
  
  
• Relatively few complications
  
  
• No moving parts
  
  
• Least expensive implant
  
  
• 70-80% success rate
  
  
• Highly effective

• Cosmetic appearance of the penis
  
  
• Need for surgery
  
  
• Destruction of the natural erectile mechanism when the device is implanted

Other disadvantages of the semirigid or malleable rod implant include:

• Constant erection at all times
  
  
• May be difficult to conceal
  
  
• Does not increase the width of the penis
  
  
• Risk of infection
  
  
• Permanently alters or may injure erection bodies
  
  
• Most likely implant to cause pain or erode through the skin
  
  
• If unsuccessful, interferes with other treatments