RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the recovery of sexual function of surgically treated male patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A prospective and a mean 16-month postoperative follow-up were conducted for 22 male patients surgically treated for cervical spondylotic myelopathy complicated by sexual dysfunction. Their neurologic scores were obtained by the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) Scoring System, their sexual function assessed by the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), and their pre- and post-operative reflexogenic and psychogenic erection analyzed by comparison.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Most of the patients experienced an obvious improvement in neurological function after the surgery, with a significantly higher JOA score than pre-operation ( P < 0.01). Compared with the preoperative rates of abnormal reflexogenic and psychogenic erection, 82% (18/22) and 18% (4/22) , the average IIEF score was elevated from preoperatively (9.90 +/- 2. 22) to postoperatively (20.89 +/- 3.89), with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Cervical spondylotic myelopathy induces sexual as well as neurological dysfunction, mostly with abnormal psychogenic but normal reflexogenic erection. With neurological recovery, most of the patients may experience an improvement in their sexual function after surgery.</p>