Outcomes of lateral retroperitoneal reservoir placement of three-piece penile prosthesis in patients following radical prostatectomy

While placement of a three-piece inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) with a midline reservoir can be performed with favorable outcomes after radical prostatectomy (RP), postoperative fascial scarring can introduce surgical complexity, increase intra-operative complications and/or potential obstacles for future inguinal and/or perineal surgeries. We describe the implantation of the IPP with lateral reservoir placement through a separate incision to avoid surgical complications. We obtained clinical characteristics of all patients (1998-2009) who underwent RP before IPP placement with lateral reservoir placement (cases). For comparison, patients who underwent IPP placement with midline reservoir placement were also identified (controls). Thirty-one patients with a history of RP underwent IPP placement using the lateral placement technique without intra-operative or post-operative complications. There were no significant differences in the intra-operative complication rate among 31 control patients. However, at a median follow-up of >2 years, there was a significantly higher rate of post-operative complications in controls, likely reflecting the increased co-morbidities in this group. The results of this study suggest that three-piece IPP with lateral retroperitoneal reservoir implantation is associated with comparable long-term outcomes and can be performed safely in patients who have previously undergone RP. International Journal of Impotence Research (2010) 22, 279-283; doi: 10.1038/ijir.2010.16; published online 24 June 2010