Penile Implant Allegedly Left Man with Eight-Month Erection

Daniel Metzgar, 44, of Newark testified in New Castle County Superior Court in Wilmington for a medical malpractice lawsuit against Wilmington urologist Dr. Thomas Desperito. The truck driver has allegedly been dealing with a penile implant that gave him an erection that lasted eight months.

The Mayo Clinic notes that penile implants are devices put inside the penis to help allow men with erectile dysfunction (ED) to get an erection.

These devices require involved surgery, with a possible risk of infection or possibility that the device may not work.

For Metzgar, he said he began wearing long, baggy sweat pants and a long shirt to hide his condition.

"I could hardly dance with an erection poking my partner," said Metzger, via Medical Daily. "It's not something you want to bring out at parties and show to friends."

However, Desperito's lawyer, Colleen D. Shields, warns that bad medical results may not necessarily be the fault of anyone. The Sun reports that Desperito told Metzgar the prosthesis had to be removed four months after surgery when Metzgar complained about an infection and the erection wasn't going down.

The News Journal of Wilmington reports that Metzgar allegedly did nothing for months following the doctor's visit. It's also reported that he lost his insurance afterward and didn't have the $10,000 necessary for the surgical procedure, back in 2009.

Reports indicate that the prosthesis was removed in August 2010 after tubing from the device punctured the patient's scrotum. He now has a replacement prosthesis from another doctor.

However, Metzgar said he believes the scar tissue from the first surgery left him approximately 50 percent smaller following the procedures. He also said a great deal of sensation was lost due to the procedure.

Metzgar and his wife, Donna, are seeking unspecified damages from Desperito and his medical group.