Boston Scientific (formerly American Medical Systems)
The AMS 700 Penile Implant
The AMS 700 is a family of three-piece inflatable penile prostheses manufactured by Boston Scientific. It is one of the longest-established inflatable implant lines and is supplied in several cylinder configurations, which is the main way the models differ from each other.
- Written by
- Istanbul Penile Implant Centre editorial team
- Medically reviewed by
- Prof. Dr. Bülent AlıcıMD, Professor of Urology and Andrology
- Published
- Last updated
Design
What the Boston Scientific is made of
The AMS 700 is a three-piece inflatable penile prosthesis. Every part is implanted; nothing is worn or attached externally.
- Cylinders
- Two cylinders implanted in the erectile bodies. The AMS 700 line uses a multi-layer cylinder construction, and different models expand differently when inflated.
- MS (Momentary Squeeze) pump
- The scrotal pump. The Momentary Squeeze design is intended to allow deflation with a brief squeeze rather than a sustained hold.
- Reservoir
- Holds the saline. Boston Scientific supplies a low-profile Conceal reservoir intended for placement within the abdominal wall where the traditional space is unsuitable.
- InhibiZone surface treatment
- An option in which the device surface is impregnated by the manufacturer with the antibiotics rifampin and minocycline. It is a manufacturing feature of the device, not something added during surgery.
Using the device
How it is operated
Operating an inflatable prosthesis is a learned skill. Most men find it awkward for the first few attempts and straightforward within a few weeks.
Find the pump in the scrotum, where it can be reached with one hand.
Squeeze the pump to move saline from the reservoir into the cylinders until the penis is rigid.
To deflate, use the deflation action on the pump; the fluid returns to the reservoir.
The penis returns to a soft state. Your team teaches you the exact technique before discharge.
Options
Configurations and sizes
Manufacturers produce several variants of the same platform. Which one is implanted is decided in theatre, once the erectile bodies have been measured directly.
- AMS 700 CX
- Expands in girth on inflation. Length is fixed at the implanted size. The most commonly used configuration.
- AMS 700 LGX
- Designed to expand in both length and girth on inflation. Whether it is suitable depends on the anatomy found during surgery.
- AMS 700 CXR
- A reduced-diameter, shorter cylinder configuration for anatomy or scarring that will not take a standard cylinder.
- AMS Spectra
- Boston Scientific’s malleable device. A separate product class rather than an AMS 700 model.
Assessment
Points that are weighed up
These are the factors discussed at consultation. None of them makes this device the right or wrong choice on its own.
Potential advantages
- Several cylinder configurations, so the device can be matched to the anatomy found at surgery.
- A pump designed for deflation with a brief squeeze.
- An option with antibiotics impregnated into the device surface during manufacture.
Limitations
- A mechanical device that can develop a fault and may require revision surgery.
- It does not treat the cause of erectile dysfunction, and it does not restore spontaneous erections.
- Once implanted, other erectile dysfunction treatments are generally no longer an option.
Clinical considerations
- As with any inflatable device, you need the hand strength and dexterity to operate a scrotal pump.
- Previous abdominal, pelvic or hernia surgery, or a kidney transplant, affects reservoir placement options and must be disclosed.
- The choice between CX, LGX and CXR is made by the surgeon based on measurements and tissue quality found during the operation.
- If you have had radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy, tell your surgeon — it changes the surgical planning.
Afterwards
Recovery with this device
Recovery is the same in outline as for any three-piece inflatable device: one night in hospital, swelling and soreness settling over the first fortnight, and activation of the device only once your surgeon confirms healing is sufficient. See the recovery page for the week-by-week timeline.
The full week-by-week schedule, which is the same for both three-piece devices, is on the recovery page.
Questions about the Boston Scientific
What is the difference between the AMS 700 CX and LGX?
The CX expands in girth when inflated. The LGX is designed to expand in both length and girth. Which one is appropriate depends on your anatomy and on what the surgeon finds when the erectile bodies are measured during surgery.
What does InhibiZone do?
InhibiZone is a manufacturer-applied surface treatment containing rifampin and minocycline, two antibiotics. It is intended to reduce bacterial colonisation of the device surface. Ask your surgeon whether it is appropriate for you, particularly if you have an allergy to either antibiotic.
Can I feel the AMS 700 pump in the scrotum?
Yes, and you need to be able to — that is how you operate the device. It is not visible under clothing, but it is palpable, and a partner may notice it.
Will an AMS 700 restore normal sensation and orgasm?
An implant replaces rigidity. It does not change penile sensation, the ability to reach orgasm, or ejaculation, because those depend on nerves and structures the implant does not involve. If sensation or orgasm was already affected by another condition, the implant will not correct that.
Medical references
We do not publish complication rates, device survival figures or satisfaction percentages on this website without a citation to the study they come from. Where you see a figure quoted elsewhere without a source, treat it with caution.
Guidelines and professional bodies
- Guidelines on Sexual and Reproductive HealthEuropean Association of Urology (EAU) — European guidance covering the assessment and management of erectile dysfunction, including the place of penile prosthesis surgery.
- Erectile Dysfunction: AUA GuidelineAmerican Urological Association (AUA) — United States guidance on the evaluation and treatment of erectile dysfunction, including surgical options.
- Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA)SMSNA — Professional society resources on sexual medicine, including prosthetic surgery.
- International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM)ISSM — International professional society with patient-facing information on sexual medicine.
- PubMedUS National Library of Medicine — Index of peer-reviewed literature. Use it to look up the primary research behind any claim you read about penile implants, including ours.
Device manufacturer documentation
- Coloplast Titan product and technical informationColoplast — Manufacturer documentation for the Titan inflatable penile prosthesis, including materials, configurations and instructions for use.
- AMS 700 product and technical informationBoston Scientific — Manufacturer documentation for the AMS 700 inflatable penile prosthesis, including models, the Conceal reservoir and InhibiZone.
Citations to be supplied
- [MEDICAL REFERENCE — long-term device survival study][JOURNAL, YEAR] — Cite a peer-reviewed source before publishing any statement about how long a device lasts.
- [MEDICAL REFERENCE — infection rate study][JOURNAL, YEAR] — Cite a peer-reviewed source before publishing any infection-rate figure.
- [MEDICAL REFERENCE — patient satisfaction study][JOURNAL, YEAR] — Cite a peer-reviewed source before publishing any satisfaction figure.
External links open in a new tab and are provided for reference only. We are not affiliated with, and do not speak for, the organisations listed.
Ask whether the AMS 700 is the right device for you
Device choice is made after an assessment, not from a website. Send your history and you will receive a written opinion on which implant would be considered in your case and why.