A vacuum assisted, semi-rigid prosthetic device for assisting in penile erection in the form of a thin, elongated sheath having an open proximal end to enable insertion of a penis and a closed distal end. The sheath includes a longitudinally extending tubular passageway extending from the proximal end to the distal end with the passageway opening into the interior of the sheath at the distal end. A valve is provided at the proximal end of the sheath for selectively communicating the passageway with a vacuum source to control and regulate the negative pressure within the sheath and a seal is provided on the proximal end of the sheath for sealing engagement with the surface area of a user adjacent the base of the penis to enable a negative pressure to exist in the sheath with the sheath being dimensioned to completely receive a flaccid penis therein and enabling enlargement to a normal erection without pain or limitation with the negative pressure providing semi-rigidity to the sheath to facilitate coitus.

In an external device for receiving and positioning the male penis in a simulation of an erection to overcome impotence, which includes a flexible hollow cylindrical body enclosed at one end and having the other end open for receiving inserting the penis with a tube provided for introducing a negative pressure in the interior of the body for drawing the penis into the body to its anatomic limit to achieve an erection, the improvement comprising a sealing member integrally extending from the open end of the cylindrical body and comprising a thin-walled flexible sleeve-like sealing portion having a predetermined substantially constant inner circumferential measurement which is a function of the circumference of the stretched non-erect penile shaft, the predetermined inner circumferential measurement being less than the inner circumferential measurement of the cylindrical body for functioning as a seal about the penile shaft to maintain the negative pressure introduced therein, but not engaging the penile shaft tightly enough to restrict venous blood flow therein, and a flexible transition portion integrally interconnecting one end of the sleeve-like sealing portion and the open end of the body for positioning the sleeve-like sealing portion in concentric axial alignment with the cylindrical body.

A prosthetic apparatus includes a conventional condom having elastic characteristics, with an elastic band tightly wrapped around the condom between the closed tip end and the open end. The elastic band forms a fluid-sealed chamber in the tip end of the condom into which fluid is placed so as to expand the tip end of the condom. The method for utilizing the prosthetic apparatus includes the initial step of tightly wrapping an elastic band around a rigid sleeve. A hollow tube is then inserted into a condom and then inserted through the rigid sleeve such that the tip end of the condom and tube project out the end thereof. The elastic band is then moved from the sleeve onto the condom and the sleeve is removed. The condom is then applied to a body member and fluid is injected through the tube into the fluid-sealed chamber formed by the elastic band on the condom. The tube is then removed from the condom.

A sexual erection prosthesis and method of use is disclosed adapted to artificially activate and maintain the penal erection state in human males. The system includes a flexible relatively supple prosthetic device which is sized to encircle the male penis and incorporates an expansible diaphrahm adapted to provide localized constrictive engagement against the penis. The system additionally includes an artificial vascularization assist device which is utilized in combination with the tubular member to obtain hydraulic blood pressure within the penis as well as an insertion device to aid in the placement of the device upon a penis. The system permits the rapid release of the constriction at a desired time to prevent self-injury to the user.

An inflatable penile prosthesis having at least one inflatable cylinder or pressurizable chamber, a fluid reservoir, pump means, and valves for permitting the flow of fluid between said reservoir and cylinder or chamber as a consequence of pressure changes, wherein to prevent spontaneous inflation there is provided an additional lock-out valve disposed at a point between the reservoir and chamber, which will be opened only by the application of a suitable pressure or force exerted volitionally from without the prosthesis. In a preferred embodiment the prosthesis is of a non-unitary type in which the pump means is in the scrotum.