[Potency disorders before and after pelvic artery reconstruction: objectification by measuring penile artery pressure].

Penile artery pressure was measured in 38 patients before and after aorto-iliac reconstruction using the Doppler technique. In 14 patients a markedly reduced penile pressure was found preoperatively which was significantly enhanced in 71% after operation. In 16% of all cases postoperative penile pressure was lower than the preoperative value. An improvement of sexual impairment was observed in 37% of the patients, while 26% reported a decrease of sexual function after operation. The reason seems to be an operative damage to the preaortal nerve plexus in most cases. Therefore, in younger patients with unilateral iliac artery occlusive disease an extraanatomical reconstruction is recommended.