Vol. 5, Issue 1, Part A (2023)

Background: Penile implant infection is a devastating complication of penile prosthesis (PP) surgery. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major risk factor for PP infection. Yet, the incidence of PP infection among controlled diabetics is a matter of debate. We aimed in this study to evaluate the role of HbA1c level as a risk factor for PP infection.

Methods: 68 adult patients with refractory ED were prospectively enrolled and scheduled for PP insertion. They were divided into 2 groups: Group A (37 diabetic patients), subdivided into 2 subgroups according to HbA1c level, Subgroup A1 (19 patients, Good control (HbA1c less than 7%), and Subgroup A2 (18 patients, Fair control (HbA1c 7-8%). Group B included (31 non diabetic patients). The patients in both groups were compared as regards: operative time, infection rate, and other complications.

Results: The age of patients ranged from 32 to 70 years. The mean operative time in groups A and B was 54.73 ± 8.33 and 52.58 ± 8.15 minutes, respectively (p=0.289). Post-operative infection occurred in 3 patients (8.1%) in group A (all of them were in subgroup A2), and only one patient in Group B (3.2%) (p=0.620). Small subcutaneous hematoma developed in 3 patients in group A and in one patient in group B. 62 patients (91.2%) were satisfied and 6 (8.8%) were dissatisfied (3 patients in each group).

Conclusions: PP insertion is a safe option for treating ED not only in non-diabetic patients but also in controlled diabetic patients.