Penile sensory disorders in erectile dysfunction: results of a comprehensive neuro-urophysiological diagnostic evaluation in 123 patients.

A total of 123 patients with complaints of erectile dysfunction and no clinically overt neurological disease underwent a comprehensive neuro-urophysiological diagnostic evaluation. The results were compared with those obtained in 50 healthy volunteers. Data gathered consisted of somatosensory evoked potentials from the posterior tibial nerve (tibial evoked potential) and from the dorsal penile nerve (pudendal evoked potential). Also, 2 sacral reflex latencies were measured (bulbocavernosus reflex and urethro-anal reflex). A total of 58 patients (47%) had at least 1 abnormal neuro-urophysiological measurement. Neuro-urophysiological abnormalities were found more frequently in older patients. The tibial evoked potential was abnormal in 30 patients (24%), pudendal evoked potential in 21 (17%), bulbocavernosus reflex in 26 (21%) and urethro-anal reflex in 32 (26%). It was concluded that somatosensory disturbances constitute an important part of neuro-urophysiological abnormalities. Our results suggest a relationship between erectile dysfunction and subclinical, age-related (penile) sensory disorders. Our study corroborates the importance of penile sensibility for erectile (patho)physiology as suggested by others and supports the concept of sensory deficit impotence as an important cause of erectile dysfunction.