Penile Rehabilitation

Prostate, colorectal, or bladder surgery can damage nerves and blood supply to the penis. As a result, up to 40 percent of men have difficulty getting or maintaining an erection after surgery. It doesn’t have to stay that way.

Our specially trained urologists and physical therapists work with men before they have surgery to minimize their risk of erectile dysfunction. In most cases, we’re able to help optimize sexual function after surgery.

Penile rehabilitation: Treatments we offer

It’s important to begin penile rehabilitation before surgery or shortly after the procedure. Early intervention helps you regain erectile function as quickly as possible. Our skilled team also has high success rates in treating men who did not undergo penile rehabilitation immediately after surgery.

Treatments to restore erectile function include:

• Oral medication: Erectile dysfunction medications increase blood flow to the penis and help preserve smooth muscle function in the penis. They are usually the first line of medical treatment. 
• Injection therapy: Penile injections insert medication directly into the erectile tissues in the penis. We use a fine-gauge needle to minimize any discomfort. 
• Vacuum erectile devices (VED): A customized penis vacuum pump helps draw more blood into the penis to create an erection.
• Penile implants : If other treatments don’t successfully restore erectile function, we may recommend a penile implant. Our skilled surgeons use minimally invasive techniques to place a device in the penis to help you achieve erections.

We want you to know that surgery doesn’t always cause erectile dysfunction. We can help prevent it when possible, and effectively treat it when necessary.