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Medically reviewed by Dr. Edward Gheiler, MD, FACS — August 29, 2026
Home › Erectile Dysfunction › Am I a Candidate?
Am I a Candidate for a Penile Implant?
Most men who qualify for a penile implant don’t know the option exists. They assume that when the pills stopped working, medicine was done with them. The actual criteria are simpler than most men expect.
You are likely a candidate if any of these describe you
- Pills (sildenafil, tadalafil) no longer produce an erection firm enough for sex, even at full dose
- Injections stopped working, hurt too much, or you can’t sustain the routine — see second-line treatments
- You had prostate surgery and erections never returned — see post-prostatectomy ED
- You have diabetes and ED that keeps advancing despite treatment — see diabetes and ED
- You have Peyronie’s disease along with ED
- Your ED has a physical cause and you want a permanent solution rather than a lifelong routine
What usually rules it out
Untreated conditions that make surgery unsafe, and erections that are normal but for situational or psychological reasons — those deserve different treatment, and we say so. Still responding to pills does not rule you out: under the AUA’s erectile dysfunction guideline (Burnett et al., J Urol 2018), treatment choice is shared decision-making — men should be informed of every option that is not contraindicated, and it is valid to begin with any treatment, including the implant, without trying and failing the others first. For the full map, see every ED treatment, in order.
What the consult actually looks like
A conversation and an exam, not a commitment. Dr. Gheiler evaluates where you are on the treatment ladder, tells you plainly whether an implant is the right tool or whether an earlier rung still has something to offer, and answers the questions men actually ask — cost and insurance, what sex is like after, and how long the device lasts. More than 400 men a year have that conversation with him.
The 5-question self-check (SHIM)
Answer five questions about the last 6 months. Your score gives you the same starting point urologists use.
Frequently asked questions
Who is a candidate for a penile implant?
The most common paths: a man whose ED has a physical cause and who gets too little from pills even at full dose, whose injections stopped working or aren’t tolerable, who didn’t recover erections after prostate surgery, or who has diabetes with ED that keeps advancing. Confirmation always comes from a medical evaluation — and under the AUA guideline, failing pills first is not required: treatment choice is shared decision-making with your urologist.
What rules an implant out?
Untreated conditions that make surgery unsafe, or normal erections with only situational or psychological difficulty — those deserve different treatment, and we say so plainly. Still responding to pills does not rule you out: under the AUA guideline you may choose the implant without failing the other options first.
Is the SHIM self-check a diagnosis?
No. It is the standard 5-question screening score urologists use as a starting point (5–25). Your answers are scored on your device and never stored or transmitted. Whatever your score, symptoms of ED deserve a physician evaluation.
Find out where you actually stand
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Private and confidential from your first call: these are problems our office treats every day, with discretion and respect.
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