Treatment alternatives for the infected penile implant.

Infection associated with placement of a penile prosthesis is rare. When it does occur, the implant and all associated foreign material should be removed. The surgeon has the option of leaving the device out, allowing the wound to heal, and returning at a future date for prosthesis replacement if the patient wishes, or cleansing the wound and replacing the implant at the same procedure, termed a salvage procedure. The success rate of 'salvage' in this series of 101 patients was 84%. This approach is less likely to succeed when the infection is manifest soon (weeks) after the placement procedure, is accompanied by extensive cellulitis and is caused by virulent organisms. Relative contraindications to salvage include, sepsis, ketoacidosis, penile necrosis, and bilateral urethral erosion of the cylinders.