A 21-year-old patient had lost his penis as a result of a botched circumcision. Doctors in Cape Town performed a transplant operation successful and the patient in living a healthy and happy life. There was a long discussion among the doctors about the surgery being ethical as it wasn’t a regular surgery like a heart transplant.
Previously, similar surgery had been attempted in China. Though the surgery was a successful one, it led to the rejection of the penis later on.
Replacement of the Penis
The man who underwent the surgery was already sexually active when he had the circumcision. The process is taken to be a part of a transition from boyhood to adulthood in certain sections of South Africa. The boy had been left with a penis that was only 1 cm long. Doctors have reported that South Africa has the highest need for penis implants. During this traditional initiation ceremony every year, several boys are either maimed or they die.
How Long Does the Operation Last?
The operation of the penile implant was about nine-hour long. Doctors reported it to be a difficult surgery as the blood vessels were 1.5mm wide. The team took the help of some of the technicians who were adept at performing the transplant in order to connect nerves and blood vessels. After some months of the surgery, the doctors say that the recovery had been rapid. However, full sensation has not yet returned and doctors are of the opinion that it might take about two years for it to happen. Nonetheless, the man is passing urine, having erection, orgasm and was also ejaculating.
The procedure needed a lot of preparation. The doctors had to make sure if the patient was aware of the risk of life-long immunosuppressant drugs. In fact, some patents fail to cope with the surgery if they do not take the new organ as the part of their body.
Psychologically, it would have a considerable effect on the ego. It took a significant amount of time to get it ethically approved. However, ultimately the surgery was a successful one.
Factors that Doctor Considers While Choosing the Best Possible Implant
A penile implant can be successful on if you select the device that is best suited for the patient. The doctor needs to find out the proper combination of variables that will result in the satisfaction of the patient. The decision is based on the following factors:
- An overall size of the penis;
- Age of the patient;
- A ratio in between the length of the penis and the size of the scrotum;
- A ratio in between the crus and the pendulous penis;
- Size of the glands of the penis;
- Presence of glans penis atrophy or penile shaft or deformity;
- Previous abdominal surgery if any;
- Kinds of previous abdominal surgery;
- History of the previous implant;
- History of a kidney transplant;
- Absence and presence of fibrosis or penile curvature;
- The body type of the patient;
- Whether the penis is circumcised or not;
- History of peripheral vascular surgery;
- Presence of an ileal conduit, colostomy, and neo-bladder;
- The overall health of the patient;
- Life expectancy
A penile implant is a way by which you can cure erectile dysfunction. The devices that are used are either inflatable or malleable. The simplest type of penile implant contains a pair of malleable rods that are implanted in the erection chambers of the penis with the help of surgery. With this implant, the penis is mostly semi-rigid and does not have to be adjusted or lifted to get it proper position in order to initiate sex.
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