Interviewing-Experts Blog recently had the opportunity to speak with renowned Erectile Dysfunction expert, Dr. Paul Perito, about the importance of utilizing a minimally invasive technique when performing a penile implant.

Interviewing-Experts: Good morning, Dr. Paul Perito. Thank you for speaking with us today about such an important topic.

Dr. Paul Perito: Certainly. Men’s health is a subject often ignored. I appreciate the opportunity.

Interviewing-Experts: So, please tell us a little about what makes your technique different from previous procedures.

Dr. Paul Perito: There are several key differences. I do not use a Foley catheter since I do not drain the bladder. I limit my dilatation, ensure that the reservoir is behind the transversalis fascia, use an artificial erection at the beginning of the procedure, and finally, there’s the use of a drain. My approach is infra-pubic, and as minimally invasive as possible. I think there are nuances that make it better than prior procedure techniques.

Interviewing-Experts: What kind of results have you seen from these differences?

Dr. Paul Perito: Our results have been good. Our infection rate was only .91% in the last 1,000 procedures.

Interviewing-Experts: That sounds very promising.

Dr. Paul Perito: Aside from that, there were only 2 distal urethra injuries, which were repaired primarily at the time of the procedure and two scrotal hematomas that were evacuated.

Interviewing-Experts: What do you consider the greatest measure of success for this procedure?

Dr. Paul Perito: How quickly my patients have gotten back to normal sexual function.

Interviewing-Experts: That’s certainly important.

Dr. Paul Perito: Yes, it is. 82% of patients were back to normal function within four weeks; the rest by six weeks.

Interviewing-Experts: Very interesting.

Dr. Paul Perito: These results tell me that the procedure is efficacious, expedient and safe.

Interviewing-Experts: How do you know what size to make the penis with the implant? Is there a way to gauge a patient’s natural penis size?

Dr. Paul Perito: Yes, there is. First, it’s important to know that when you render a man impotent, say with a radical prostatectomy, over the course of the next 14 months he’ll lose anywhere from .5 to 5 cm in length.  I use a penile stretch test to educate patients on what they can realistically expect postoperatively.

Interviewing-Experts: How did you conclude that the stretch test was the best predictive index for length?

Dr. Paul Perito: What I did was took 53 patients and measured their artificial erections, their penile stretch test and finally what they had at the end of the procedure. And, not surprisingly to me, the best predictive Index was the penile stretch test. So now when a patient comes into office and they want a penile implant, I’ll do the penile stretch test and tell them that 72% of the time, this is what they are going to have postoperatively, and if they don’t like that, they should probably not get a penile implant.

Interviewing-Experts: Sound advice, indeed.

Dr. Paul Perito: Additionally, since my procedure does not use a Scott retractor, the cost is reduced. My penile pack costs $72 to the hospital, and these days cutting cost is essential.

Interviewing-Experts: Absolutely. Well, Dr. Perito, we look forward to hearing more about this procedure in the future, and again thank you for taking the time out of your surgery and training schedule to speak with us today.

Dr. Paul Perito: You’re welcome.

 

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Dr. Paul Perito is a 1988 graduate of the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine. His practice, Perito Urology, is considered one of the foremost Erectile Dysfunction treatments centers in the world. Since 2005, Dr. Paul Perito has successfully performed more than 3,000 penile implants, establishing him as a leader in the field. He has streamlined the procedure, making it not only more efficient, but safer, by the development and actualization of a minimally invasive approach. Aside from contributing extensively to medical publication libraries, Dr. Paul Perito heads the training center at Perito Urology where his technique is taught to an audience of surgeons from across the globe.

The information contained in this article is provided by Dr. Paul Perito for educational purposes only. It is not intended to treat or diagnose any condition.