Over the years, Viagra has often been the subject of late-night comics, but erectile dysfunction is a condition that can seriously impact a man’s quality of life. After losing his prostate to cancer in his early 50s, Belleville resident Anthony found himself with ED. To maintain sexual function, he had a prosthesis surgically implanted in 2002. Everything was fine for more than a decade, until the prosthesis stopped working in 2013.
Unable to be intimate for a year and seeking answers, the now 65-year-old turned to SLUCare Physician Group’s Dr. Sophia Ford-Glanton, a urologist and assistant professor in the Division of Urologic Surgery at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.
Medication is commonly prescribed but is not always the ideal solution, and some men might not even respond to it at all, says Ford-Glanton. She says SLUCare offers a wealth of additional choices, from a vacuum device to penile injections and implants. “While Viagra and other medications are the main treatment options, there’s others, as well, and we offer all of them at reasonable cost.”
Surgical intervention in the form of implants is recommended only after the patient has not found success with other methods. “If the patient comes to me and has already tried medications, I first make sure they were used correctly,” Ford-Glanton says. “If not, I train them on proper use.”
Implants come in both semirigid and inflatable forms. “With the latter, we place a pump in the scrotum that inflates the prosthesis so it appears like a more natural erection,” Ford-Glanton explains. “The feeling is normal and the patient can enjoy normal functionality.”
In Anthony’s case, a new prosthesis was needed. But before the procedure could take place, Ford-Glanton required a full medical check-up—standard for all her ED patients. “If the patient has heart disease, for example, we need to get that treated first. Once they’re cleared for physical activity and we know they’re in good health, then we can work on treating their ED,” she says. “If patients get their other health issues under control, it can help prevent further damage.”
Although initially uncomfortable with a female doctor treating his ED, Anthony soon accepted Ford-Glanton. “I really liked that she wouldn’t perform the surgery until I had a complete medical,” he explains. “It made me feel like she really cared about my welfare. When she realized I was uncomfortable, she even gave me the option of going to another doctor—it wasn’t her way or the highway. But she won my confidence and thoroughly explained the procedure and complications. She really helped improve my quality of life.”
Anthony’s experience is one Ford-Glanton and her SLUCare team strive to replicate for each patient they see. “We believe in giving patients multiple options to choose from and supporting them in whatever choice they make,” she says. “We’re there to assist and guide. We consider ourselves partners in patient care, and we like our patients to be completely involved in the choices made.”
Pictured: Dr. Sophia Ford-Glanton
Photo Courtesy of SLUCare Physician Group
[Dr. Sophia Ford-Glanton is a SLUCare urologist who practices at Saint Louis University Hospital, 3655 Vista Ave. For more information, call 314.577.6131 or visit slucare.edu/menshealth.]
