Penis Surgery : Everything you Need to Know – Part 2

Being nervous before and on the day of your surgery is normal. Knowing what to expect on your surgery day can help reduce nervousness. This article provides you with a lot of information that you would need before, during, and after the surgery. Ideally, this information does not replace what your doctor says in any way.

What to Expect on the Day of Surgery

When you arrive at the location, you go in to register. As the procedure is an outpatient procedure, you register and sign a consent form for the surgical procedure.

You go to the pre-operating unit, where you change into a surgical gown, and the nurse checks your health vitals, like blood pressure, temperature, and pulse. During the surgery, you'd need to receive medications intravenously (through your veins). Therefore, the nurse would place an IV (intravenous) catheter in your hand or arm.

You may also need some pre-op blood tests and other physical examinations to ensure you are not developing any illness or infection and are fit for surgery. You may also be injected with antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection. Then you would be taken to the operating room.

Some things you should take note of prior to your surgery include the following:

• You can shower with soap and water on the morning of your surgery.
• You must not shave your pubic hair. Shaving your pubic hair on your own instead of shaving it in the operating room by the surgical staff can expose you to the risk of infection and other surgical complications.
• Some experts recommend that you exercise your penis before the day of your surgery with a penis pump to stimulate the penis.

Before the Penile Surgery

In the operating room, before the surgery, a urine catheter would be placed in your urethra. This process might get uncomfortable, but it is necessary as the urine catheter helps collect urine during surgery.

A light anesthetic would be injected through your IV catheter. This would make you sleepy. You may also receive other pain control medications that make your surgery pain-free. Some of the medications that can be used are:

• Local Anesthesia: This helps control pain by numbing the specific area of the surgery. The local anesthetic is injected directly around your crotch and penis.
• General Anesthesia: This is a combination of medicines, usually injected through an IV. It makes you unconscious and slows down many body functions, freeing you from pain while your surgery goes on. While under general anesthesia, you need a breathing tube (placed in your throat) to breathe properly.

During the Penile Surgery

When you have been placed on anesthetic and your pubic hair shaved, the surgery begins.

Cleaning: Your penis, scrotum, and all other surrounding areas of the surgical site will be washed and cleaned thoroughly with an antiseptic solution. Your entire body would be draped, leaving only your penis and some surrounding area.

Incision and Insertion: Your surgeon makes an incision/ opening in the scrotal skin. Then, your surgeon would cut the tissue below the skin to access your corpus cavernosum. Then, your surgeon opens up two small areas in the erectile tissue to place the inflatable parts of your penis. It is placed deep within the penis. The pump and reservoir would also be placed in the scrotum and pelvic bone using the same opening, and the device would be connected.

The implant would be placed entirely inside your penis. No part of the implant would be outside your body or penis. Bleeding in the surgical site during the surgery would be well controlled and suctioned.

End of the surgery: When the procedure is done, the cuts made in the tissues and the penis skin are sutured and closed.

The surgical area is cleaned, and it is completely wrapped with bandages. You would be taken off the anesthesia, and the medical staff would follow all the proper protocols to deem you fit to be taken to the post-operative area.

After the Penile Surgery

After your surgery, you would be taken to the post-operative area to rest before you are discharged. Even though the surgical procedure is generally outpatient (you wouldn't need to be hospitalized), you might be kept to be watched overnight in some cases.

Your urinary catheter would remain for about 12 to 24 hours after the surgery. You might need to pass urine before you are discharged. The surgical team would watch your urine discharge bag for excess blood or cloudiness.

As your anesthetic wears off, you may begin to feel pain. You would be placed on a pain management regimen to help control the pain. When your doctor checks and confirm you are stable to go home, you will be discharged.

Recovery after Penis Surgery

Recovering fully from a penile implant surgery may take weeks. You would have follow-up appointments with your doctor to check how your healing and recovery are going. Your first appointment with your doctor may be after the 24 – 48 hour mark after your surgery to remove your urinary catheter (if it wasn’t removed on the day of the surgery) and the heavy dressing of the surgical site.

Pain

It is normal to have pains and swelling in your penile area after the first few weeks. However, you should always call and ask your doctor if you feel any unusual discomfort. Your surgical team would already tell you what is normal and what is not during your recovery.

Your sutures would be removed after a few weeks, and you can discuss with the doctor when you can resume work, heavy lifting, and sexual activity.

Healing

• Only remove the heavy wrappings and bandages of your surgical site once you are told to do so by your doctor.
• After that is removed, you should always keep the surgical wound clean. You would be instructed to prevent contamination during cleaning up after bowel movements.
• Avoid hot tubs and swimming in lakes, pools, beaches, or oceans for the first few weeks.
• An ice pack would help reduce pain and swelling at the surgical site.
• Always follow the dosage of any antibiotics given to you by your doctor to prevent infections.
• Take your pain medications as prescribed by the doctor, and always talk to your doctor if you have any questions or confusion.

Post-operative Complications

Every surgery has its pre-operative and post-operative complications. There are post-operative complications you should look out for after your penile implant surgery. Some of them include: infection, bloody/ cloudy urine, pus from the surgical wound, painful urination, increased swelling of the surgical area, fever/chills, etc.

Coping with Recovery

It is vital to rest very well for days after your surgery. It is helpful to have someone to help you around the house with chores and errands during your recovery time. It would be best if you discussed with your doctor how and when to resume normal activities like exercise, working, walking, or running.

Using your Implant

Typically, your implant is ready to use 4 to 6 weeks after the surgery. You should ask questions about your implant and learn how to use your penile implant from your doctor.

Possible Future Surgeries

The penile implant is a medical device, and as such, it is prone to mechanical failure or damage. This can lead to the need for a replacement or repair. Although penile implant surgery is a one-time procedure, the occurrence of the following would need additional surgery:

• Severe infection
• Tissue damage, or
• Device failure,

However, discussing with your doctors and following their planned regimen would do you a great deal of good.

Lifestyle Adjustments

Your penile implant is a new addition to you and might take some time to get used to. When your healing and recovery from the surgery is over, and you begin to use your penile implant for sexual activities, you get familiar with it, and you can adjust your preferences and sexual life with your partner to conform to the changes brought by the penile implant.

It is important to note that penile implant surgery does not help with penis enlargement. The penis is often the same size before and after the surgery.

Final Word from Zen Hanger

Penile Implant Surgery is always better when it is well prepared for. However, before you consider undergoing penile implant surgery, you should talk to your doctor about other alternative noninvasive treatments like the use of volume recovery supplements or consider trying out automatic penis pumps.

Also, in the situation of Erectile Dysfunction (ED), the penile implant surgery does not affect the length and girth of the penis. If you are looking for this, you can try the Zenhanger’s collection of products ranging from penis weight hangers to penile pumps and much more. Zen Hanger is a company that is dedicated to helping people achieve penile health and have the penis they desire.

Medical Disclaimer: If you have any medical conditions, questions, or concerns, please speak with your healthcare provider directly. The articles on Zen Hanger are underpinned by peer-reviewed research and information drawn from medical societies and governmental agencies. However, they are not a substitute for professional medical advice diagnosis, or treatment.