Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Urology >
  • Conditions We Treat >
  • Post-Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction and Penile Rehabilitation
Urology
About Us
Our Services
Conditions We Treat
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Bladder Cancer
Bladder Exstrophy
Buried Penis
Delayed or Absent Ejaculation
Erectile Dysfunction
Hypospadias
Kidney Cancer
Low Testosterone
Male Infertility
Male Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
Pediatric Stone Disease
Penile Cancer
Peyronie’s Disease
Post-Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction and Penile Rehabilitation
Post-Prostatectomy Urinary Incontinence
Premature Ejaculation
Prenatal Hydronephrosis
Prostatitis
Testicular Cancer
Undescended Testicle
Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction
Urethral Stricture
Urinary Incontinence
Vesicoureteral Reflux
Our Experts
Our Research
Donate
Education & Training
Patient Resources
Contact Us
Urology
About Us
Our Services
Conditions We Treat
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Bladder Cancer
Bladder Exstrophy
Buried Penis
Delayed or Absent Ejaculation
Erectile Dysfunction
Hypospadias
Kidney Cancer
Low Testosterone
Male Infertility
Male Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
Pediatric Stone Disease
Penile Cancer
Peyronie’s Disease
Post-Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction and Penile Rehabilitation
Post-Prostatectomy Urinary Incontinence
Premature Ejaculation
Prenatal Hydronephrosis
Prostatitis
Testicular Cancer
Undescended Testicle
Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction
Urethral Stricture
Urinary Incontinence
Vesicoureteral Reflux
Our Experts
Our Research
Donate
Education & Training
Patient Resources
Contact Us

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

Post-Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction and Penile Rehabilitation


Contact the UPMC Men's Health Center

To make an appointment at the Men's Health Center, call 1-877-641-4636 or fill out our form.


  • Overview
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment

What is Post-Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction, also known as ED, is the inability to get and maintain an erection hard enough to have intercourse. 90 percent of men experience ED after having a prostatectomy, surgery to remove part or all of the prostate gland.

Causes of Post-Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction

ED is a normal side effect of prostate removal. Post-prostatectomy ED doesn't seem to happen more often with one type of prostatectomy over another.

Prostatectomy tends to cause ED because the surgery weakens the pelvic floor, a part of the body that's vital to getting an erection. Located just under the bladder and behind the base of the penis, the pelvic floor contains many muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. In order to get an erection, the brain needs to send signals through these nerves, the blood vessels must allow enough blood to flow into the penis, and pelvic floor muscles have to squeeze blood into the penis. If any of these parts are damaged during surgery, you may not be able to get and keep an erection.

Post-Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction Symptoms 

Symptoms of post-prostatectomy ED are the same as symptoms for regular ED. These include:

  • The inability to get an erection
  • Having erections that aren't hard enough for intercourse
  • Having erections that don't last until orgasm

Even though it's very common, ED can also cause some men to feel embarrassed. In addition, it might cause stress for you and your sexual partner.

Post-Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction Diagnosis

While ED is a known complication after prostate removal, your doctor will examine your genital area to confirm the cause of your ED. They may ask you to get blood tests in order to check your hormones and general health, and a urine test.

Your doctor may request extra tests, including:

  • A Doppler ultrasound: Seeing ultrasound images of the penis, while both soft and erect, will allow your doctor to see how blood is flowing through it.
  • An intracavernosal injection test: Your doctor injects medicine into your penis that causes an erection, which they then measure.
  • A nocturnal penile tumescence test: The purpose of this test is to check whether you have erections at night. If you do, the cause of the ED likely isn't physical.

Post-Prostatectomy Erectile Dysfunction Treatment

One of the most important components of treating ED is penile rehabilitation — using or exercising your penis in order to maintain its ability to become erect.

Rehabilitative treatments your doctor may recommend include:

  • Oral medicine: Oral medicines for ED work as muscle relaxants. When the smooth muscle of the penis is relaxed, more blood can flow into it, which helps create an erection.
  • A vacuum device: A tube is placed over the penis, forming a vacuum that pulls blood into it and makes it erect. Once the penis is erect, a band is placed around its base to hold the blood in the penis. This allows the blood vessels and muscles to stretch.
  • Injection: The doctor injects a muscle relaxant into the penis with a very small needle, allowing blood to flow into it.
  • A penile prosthetic device: There are two types of prostheses that make the penis erect: non-inflatable, or rigid, devices, and inflatable devices, which fill with liquid. Both types of devices are permanent and implanted through surgery.
Because ED can affect your relationship with your partner, sex therapy can also be helpful. In partner therapy sessions, you can work on methods for better communication, resolve anxiety, and find ways to make your physical relationship more satisfying.
UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login