Penile Implant Pump Stuck? The Simple Reset for AMS 700 Pumps

A wave of calls to our office lately starts the same way: “My pump just stopped working.” In almost every case the device is fine — the pump’s built-in lockout was tripped by an accidental button press, and a reset you can do at home in ten seconds fixes it.

Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Edward Gheiler, MD, FACS — August 4, 2026

What happened: the button and the bulb got pressed together

The AMS 700’s scrotal pump has two controls sitting millimeters apart: the pump bulb you squeeze to inflate, and the deflation button on the valve block above it. While inflating — especially with a firm grip, or through clothing — it is easy to press the deflation button at the same moment you squeeze the bulb. The manufacturer’s manual warns against pressing both together, because doing so engages the pump’s internal lockout valve: the pump goes quiet, the bulb stops responding, and it feels like the device died mid-use.

It didn’t. The lockout is a designed safety behavior, not damage — and it has a designed way out.

The reset: five presses, then one firm squeeze

This is the sequence Dr. Gheiler walks patients through by phone, and it resolves the overwhelming majority of “my pump is stuck” calls:

Stop and take your hand off the pump. Give it a moment. Nothing is broken.
Press the deflation button firmly five times. Release completely between presses. This resets the internal lockout valve.
Now squeeze the pump bulb once — hard. One firm, decisive squeeze re-engages inflation. A timid half-squeeze often will not.
Resume normal pumping. If nothing happens after two or three full attempts, stop — do not force it — and call the office.

Illustrative diagram of the pump’s parts — simplified and not to scale.

This is not the “sticky pump” issue

Some earlier pumps developed a separate, well-documented hardware problem — often called a sticky pump — where the bulb itself becomes stiff, stays compressed after a squeeze, or takes real effort to move. That is a different mechanism entirely (the urologic literature calls it “stiction”), it is not caused by anything you did, and the reset on this page will not fix it. The tell: with a lockout, the bulb feels normal but the device ignores you; with a sticky pump, the bulb itself feels wrong. If your bulb feels stuck down, rigid, or harder to squeeze than it used to be, skip the reset and call the office — that one deserves an exam.

Which pumps this applies to

This guidance is for the Boston Scientific AMS 700 with the MS Pump — the pump used in AMS 700 implants placed before the newer Tenacio pump generation. If your implant was placed by Dr. Gheiler before roughly 2024, this is almost certainly your pump; your device card lists the exact model. The Tenacio pump and the Coloplast Titan pump are built differently, and their troubleshooting is different — when in doubt, call us and we will identify your device from our records.

Frequently asked questions about a stuck pump

Why did my penile implant pump suddenly stop working?

The most common reason is an accidental button press: squeezing the pump bulb while the deflation button is pressed — easy to do mid-inflation — engages the pump’s internal lockout valve, and the pump stops responding. Nothing is broken, and it is not a device failure. The manufacturer’s own manual warns against pressing both at the same time for exactly this reason.

How do I reset a stuck AMS 700 pump?

This reset is for the AMS 700 with the MS Pump — the pump used before the newer Tenacio generation; your device card lists your model. Press the deflation button firmly five times, releasing completely between presses — this resets the internal lockout valve. Then squeeze the pump bulb once, hard: one firm, decisive squeeze. The pump should start working normally again. If you have the newer Tenacio pump this reset does not apply — call the office. And if the pump does not respond after two or three full attempts, stop and call rather than forcing it.

Is a stuck pump the same as the “sticky pump” problem?

No. The “sticky pump” issue seen in some earlier devices is a hardware phenomenon — the bulb itself becomes stiff, stays compressed, or is very hard to squeeze — and a reset will not fix it. What this article describes is a lockout triggered by pressing the button and bulb together, which resets easily at home. If your bulb feels physically stuck down or rock-hard, call the office instead.

When should I call the office about a stuck pump?

Call if the five-press reset does not work after two or three tries, if the bulb itself feels collapsed, rigid, or physically stuck, if you cannot deflate an inflated implant, or if there is any new pain or swelling. Do not keep forcing the pump. Dr. Gheiler’s Hialeah office is at (305) 822-7227, in English and Spanish.

Sources: Boston Scientific AMS 700 Operating Manual, troubleshooting section (“Do not squeeze the deflation button and the pump bulb at the same time”; lockout-valve reset via the deflation button) · “stiction” of the AMS 700 MS Pump as described in the urologic literature (J Sex Med, 2017). Reset sequence as advised clinically by Dr. Edward Gheiler, MD, FACS.

This article is patient education and does not replace a medical consultation. Individual results and experiences vary. Discuss your specific case with your urologist.

Pump still not responding?

Call us before assuming the worst — most “dead” pumps are one reset away. If yours truly is not working, Dr. Gheiler evaluates and, when needed, revises implants placed anywhere.

Private and confidential from your first call: these are problems our office treats every day, with discretion and respect.

Call (305) 822-7227