OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cause of erectile dysfunction after nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy for clinically localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate (stage A or B). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Erectile function was evaluated in 20 patients, mean age 65 years (range 44-74), both pre-operatively and 1 year after surgery by intracavernosal injection of a vasoactive agent (papaverine hydrochloride or prostaglandin E1) and pulsed Doppler ultrasonography. The degree of erection, the size of the cavernosal artery and penile arterial blood flow velocity were assessed. RESULTS: Results revealed that the decreased response to intracavernosal injection of a vasoactive agent was associated with a significant reduction in both the diameter and velocity of blood flow within cavernosal arteries in 40% of patients after surgery. The pathological stage of the tumour did not correlate with the degree of vascular injury. CONCLUSION: We conclude that post-prostatectomy impotence is multifactorial but vascular injury plays a substantial role.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cause of erectile dysfunction after nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy for clinically localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate (stage A or B). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Erectile function was evaluated in 20 patients, mean age 65 years (range 44-74), both pre-operatively and 1 year after surgery by intracavernosal injection of a vasoactive agent (papaverine hydrochloride or prostaglandin E1) and pulsed Doppler ultrasonography. The degree of erection, the size of the cavernosal artery and penile arterial blood flow velocity were assessed. RESULTS: Results revealed that the decreased response to intracavernosal injection of a vasoactive agent was associated with a significant reduction in both the diameter and velocity of blood flow within cavernosal arteries in 40% of patients after surgery. The pathological stage of the tumour did not correlate with the degree of vascular injury. CONCLUSION: We conclude that post-prostatectomy impotence is multifactorial but vascular injury plays a substantial role.
Authors: Jesse W Tai; Samuel R Sorkhi; Ishika Trivedi; Kyoko Sakamoto; Michael Albo; Valmik Bhargava; Mahadevan Raj Rajasekaran Journal: World J Mens Health Date: 2020-06-01 Impact factor: 5.400