A history of penile implants

Erectile dysfunction (ED), the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual performance, has been described for centuries. ED has numerous psychological and social implications, can diminish self-esteem and quality of life, and can negatively impact female partner sexual function (1). The first accounts of ED treatment come from medieval Islamic physicians in the 8th century BC who tried herbs, prayer, topical and intraurethral treatments and multi-modality therapies with limited success. The treatment of ED has been of interest to physicians since then and has appeared in historical documents such as The Canon of Medicine and The Comprehensive book on Medicine (2,3). Accounts of ED also appear in the Old Testament as well as in sacred Hindu texts. Hippocrates famously declared that being worried about business and unattractive women caused ED (4)