Unitary inflatable penile prosthesis

Abstract

A factory preassembled, preferably partially prefilled three piece penile prosthesis that can be implanted in a patient as one pre-assembled unit and filled without any required further connection or purging of air. The prosthesis has a pair of inflatable cylinders that can be implanted into the corpora cavernosa regions of the penis, the inflatable cylinders preferably being attached to a solid rear portion to which the various tubing is connected. The prosthesis also has a reservoir for implantation into the abdomen, a pump for implantation into the scrotum for transferring fluid from the reservoir into the cylinders, and a controllable valve associated with the pump for retaining the fluid within the cylinders and for controllably allowing it to escape from the cylinders back into the reservoir when desired. When fluid is pumped into the cylinders, the cylinders are inflated to to encourage the penis to an erect position. When the fluid is subsequently released from the cylinders, the cylinders deflate to allow the penis to return to a relaxed position. The volume of fluid within the preoperative prosthesis assembly is such that sufficient fluid may be readily displaced from the reservoir into the pump and cylinders to allow the reservoir to be inserted into the pelvic cavity of a patient without disconnecting the pump and cylinders. An alternate embodiment contemplates an unfilled prosthesis assembly, retaining the advantages of a preassembled unit in implantation time required and elimination of the potential for eventual connector failure.