This cylinder is connected to an outlet which can create negative pressure in the cylinder by means of either a Encore Battery Vacuum Erection Device or Encore Manual Vacuum Erection Device Vacuum Pump. The negative pressure produces an erection which can be retained by means of special tension rings for as long as 30 minutes (generally sufficient for even the most demanding of partners !!)

Being totally non-invasive (no needle pricks, incisions or extraneous drugs), such a device is remarkably free of side effects. Of course, it is very important that a good brand should be chosen.

Sub-standard devices can cause harm to the delicate tissues of the penis in various ways including hematomas, skin damage, vascular damage because of poor tension ring quality, allergic reactions because of substitution with poor quality plastic cylinders (most quality devices are made of high-grade Lexan) etc.. One should therefore be careful about the device chosen or prescribed.

The concept of using a vacuum to produce an erection was first introduced by an American gentleman named Geddings Osbon. Geddings Osbon himself suffered from impotence.  Osbon ErecAid Vacuum Therapy System OTC.

At that time, little was known about organic factors in impotence and treatment was either unavailable or frustrating. People still thought that all impotence was psychological. Osbon was thus forced to invent out of necessity and pioneered the first vacuum device. The ingenious device was a runaway success. Since then, several modifications in design have been made and thousands the world over have benefited from this device already.

Learning to use the Vacuum Pump requires patience and practice. Once mastered, it can be used to obtain an erection within minutes. Long-term use of this device has actually been shown to improve blood flow to the penis in patients with impaired flow.

Over a period of time, therefore, it is possible that a man may be able to regain his `original' spontaneous erectile ability and dispense with the

Vacuum Pump altogether.

The vacuum device can be employed in patients with impotence resulting from a wide variety of causes. It is thus useful in diabetics, hypertensives, patients with drug or substance-abuse related impotence, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, neurogenic impotence etc. It is useful to note that even patients with psychogenic impotence can derive considerable benefit form the use of the vacuum device. The overall success rate exceeds 90%.

As health care systems all around begin to improve, life expectancy increases and people live longer without major health problems. Sexual well-being of the individual thus constitutes an important aspect of overall health care. In 1994, the World Health Organization recognized sexual and reproductive health as a fundamental right. In May, 1999, the First International Consultation on Erectile Dysfunction, which was co-sponsored by the WHO, was held in Paris.

Impotence is a very common disorder, especially among the elderly, and affects at least 10-15% (conservative estimate) of all adult males. Old age is no bar to good sex and a man is entitled to a good sex life for as long as his mind is desirous.

A few years ago, it was thought that surgery was the main treatment option in organic impotence. More recently, however, non-operative methods, especially oral drugs, have proved their efficacy in the treatment of this condition and must be tried before resorting to the more invasive methods.

Many patients are afraid to undergo surgical operations for impotence...

Some of the treatment options available have also been discussed in other articles. Medical therapy (oral drugs) has revolutionized the treatment of impotence. Since Pfizer launched Viagra in Mar-Apr 1998, the management of impotence (E.D.) has changed dramatically. Today, oral drugs viz. Viagra, Levitra, Uprima, and Cialis have taken over the first line management of this condition. These drugs are effective in 65 % to 70 % of cases (on an average) and are, for the most part, very safe too. It is only in the remainder, and those in whom the drugs are contraindicated (cannot be given) or cause intolerable side effects, that other treatment options have to be considered.

Many patients are afraid to undergo operation for impotence, especially in a country like India, where men generally give up sexual expectations of themselves in the fifth or sixth decade of life.

This is in sharp contrast to the Western world, where, because of better overall health, greater life expectancy and a higher divorce-remarriage rate, men are sexually active (or are under pressure to be) even in the seventh and eight decades of life.

What, then, are the non-operative non-surgical treatment options in impotence?

The two more commonly advocated non-operative treatment options in impotence are self-injection therapy and the vacuum device.

The masculine ego would not admit that there could be something wrong with the male reproductive organs - that would be demeaning to 'manhood'.

It may be of interest to our readers to deliberate in passing on the reasons for this laggardness in andrological research.

Two factors are predominant. The first of these is male chauvinism. Throughout human history, most of our societies have been patriarchal and male-dominated. The male ego would not admit that there could be something wrong with the male reproductive organs - that would be demeaning to `manhood'. Ironically, it is these very men who researched the female reproductive system and helped evolve the branch of gynecology and obstetrics. But they refused to look into themselves.

The second is the misinterpretation of the teachings of Sigmund Freud. This led to the erroneous conclusion that most male sexual problems had their roots in the mind.

Whereas most branches of medicine have taken their roots from biology - the study beginning with an understanding of the anatomy and physiology of that part and proceeding to then figure out what happens when anatomy or physiology goes wrong thus causing disease (pathology), the male reproductive system alone took its roots from psychology, thus causing tremendous damage.

This explains why most people know that it takes a complex series of neuromuscular phenomena to lift a finger but fail to realise that equally complex phenomena are needed to lift the penis!! Most think that all that is needed for the latter event to occur is a naughty thought.

What then causes impotence? Although impotence can afflict anyone from 13 to 90 plus and is associated with a wide variety of clinical conditions and disease states. All of these can be accurately identified using modern andrological investigative techniques.