Penile prosthesis implantation in an academic institution in Latin America

PURPOSE: We performed a retrospective study to analyze the effectiveness of implantable penile prostheses in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 249 patients who received implants between 2001 and 2008. A total of 139 patients who underwent penile prosthesis implantation were interviewed. RESULTS: Approximately half of patients had previously used oral drugs before implantation of the prosthesis. About 45 percent had diabetes, 25.9 percent had previously undergone radical prostatectomy (RP), and 64 percent had hypertension. Exchange was performed in 5.7 percent for fracture, inadequate size, or extrusion. A total of 24.5 percent of men had immediate postoperative pain, 7.9 percent had local infection, and 8.6 percent had other complications. Patients who had previously undergone RP were 3.2 times more likely to experience a postoperative complication than patients who had not (p = 0.061). Eighty-nine (64 percent) patients returned to having sex as they had before being diagnosed with ED. Ninety-two of the men (66.2 percent) had sexual intercourse one to two times per week. One hundred twenty patients (86.3 percent) rated their level of satisfaction as good, excellent or very good, which was similar to the percentage of partners. The mean follow-up was 40 months. CONCLUSION: Higher rates of postoperative infections and mechanical problems with the implant were found in this study as compared to other studies, which was probably associated with the relative lack of experience of the trainees who were performing the surgeries. Patients with a history of RP or diabetes mellitus prior to implantation were at higher risk of postoperative complications.

Erectile dysfunction in patients with chronic renal failure

OBJECTIVE: Determine the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in patients undergoing hemodialysis MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in a population of 58 patients in hemodialysis program. Erectile dysfunction was assessed by using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Information on demographic data, renal failure, comorbidities, laboratory tests and search for medical treatment for erectile dysfunction by means of interviews and researches in medical charts was obtained. Student t test was utilized to compare the laboratory results between group of patients with and without erectile dysfunction. The chi-square test was utilized to compare the comorbidities and the characteristics of the population studied between the groups of patients with and without erectile dysfunction. The significance level considered was 5 percent RESULTS: Mean patient age was 50.2 ± 14.6 years and the time of hemodialysis was 30.4 ± 28.4 months. The prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 60.3 percent. A progressive increase respecting the age was reported. In patients younger than 50 years, this prevalence reached 31.4 percent and in patients older than 50 years, this prevalence reached 68.6 percent. With respect to the comorbidities, hypertensive patients prevailed with 94.8 percent of the total, whilst diabetic patients represented 24.9 percent. However only the association between diabetes and erectile dysfunction was significant. Patients with erectile dysfunction presented significantly lower values for serum creatinine and Kt/V. There was no variation between the groups with reference to calcium, potassium, phosphorus, hematocrit, hemoglobin, pre- and post-dialysis urea values. There was no correlation between erectile dysfunction and time of dialysis. Amongst patients with erectile dysfunction, 8.6 percent sought medical care CONCLUSIONS: The...

Development of a urinary lithiasis localizer mechanism to couple ultrasound and extracorporeal lithotripsy equipment in canine model

INTRODUCTION: Due to the evolution of extracorporeal lithotripsy equipment (ESWL) and presently, the fact that most part of the equipment does not present ultrasound to localize urinary calculi, a system that allows adapting ultrasound equipment to ESWL equipment was developed, disposing only of fluoroscopy. Thus, this equipment was developed and was tested in urinary stones in canine models, to check its precision in relation to fluoroscopy. METHOD: Seven male dogs were utilized with the introduction, in the bladder through the ureteral route, of chalkstones, with initial localization by fluoroscopy, with a further ultrasound coincidence check localization of the vesical stones, being submitted to ESWL with a 3-hour, 21 days and 60 days follow-up after the procedure. RESULTS: Success of localization in all animals was verified presenting elimination of stones in the first micturitions, after ESWL. No complications were verified in those animals for 60 days. CONCLUSION: We verified that this equipment can lead to an update of the equipment that use only fluoroscopy, increasing in this way, their technical capacity in the treatment of urinary calculi, mainly in cases of non-radiopaque stones.

An alternative non-invasive treatment for Peyronie's disease

OBJECTIVE: Surgical correction of the deformity and plaque caused by Peyronie's disease has some important disadvantages and extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) emerged as a new promising therapy. We evaluated prospectively the efficacy and safety of the association of high dose vitamin E and ESWT as a non-invasive treatment for the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients 42 to 68 years old (mean = 54) presenting penile deviation and sexual distress caused by Peyronie's disease were treated in a non-invasive manner. The time of penile deviation ranged from 16 to 52 months (mean = 30). All patients had previous unsuccessful treatment for Peyronie's disease. The angulation's deformity of the penis was assessed by photography at home. The patients received vitamin E (l.200 mg daily) during 3 months and underwent 3 to 6 sessions (mean = 3) of ESWT (3,000 to 4,000 shockwaves) at a power level of l to 2 at 1-week intervals. RESULTS: From 25 patients treated, 16 (64 percent) reported an improvement in penile angulation, with a mean reduction of 21 degrees (10 to 40). Eight patients reported improvement in their spontaneous erections. Overall, the patients presented only minimal bruising at the site of treatment and skin hematoma. Four patients presented urethral bleeding. The mean angulation after treatment in the control group was 48.67 degrees (30 - 70) and in the study group was 24.42 degrees (0 - 70), statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Considering the common complications and the unsatisfactory outcome of the surgical correction for Peyronie's disease, the association of high dose vitamin E and ESWT represents a good option for a non-invasive, effective and safe treatment of the penile deformity.

Effects of high-energy shock wave on organs adjacent to the kidney in the growing rat

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of high-energy shock waves (HESW) on organs adjacent to the kidney, in the growing rat. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 60 Wistar male rats. Upon completing 30 days of age, a radiopaque marker was placed in the animals' left renal cavity. With 40 days of age, after radiologically confirming the markers' position, the rats were divided into 2 groups: control-group - 30 rats that did not receive shock waves; experimental group- 30 rats exposed to 1000 shock waves of 17.2 KV in intensity. The rats were sacrificed 7, 90 and 180 days after exposure to HESW. The bodily growth was assessed and the analysis of macro- and microscopic morphology of liver, spleen, pancreas, lungs and adrenals. RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in the animals' bodily growth. The microscopic morphologic analysis demonstrated significant alterations in spleen (proliferative changes in the red pulp) and liver (cloudy swelling) of the animals submitted to HESW and sacrificed on the seventh day. These changes completely disappeared in subsequent analyses. CONCLUSION: HESW applied to rat did not inhibit the animals' growth and caused transitory histological lesion in spleen (proliferative changes in the red pulp) and in liver (cloudy swelling of hepatocytes). Such changes were observed only in the group that was exposed to HESW and was sacrificed 7 days following the experiment, presenting spontaneous recovery.

Effect of sildenafil in cavernous arteries of patients with erectile dysfunction

INTRODUCTION: Sildenafil citrate is a type 5 phosphodiesterase inhibitor, which has demonstrated excellent results in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. The effect of sildenafil citrate in the cavernous arteries of patients with erectile dysfunction has not been established yet. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of sildenafil citrate in the cavernous arteries of patients with erectile dysfunction, following an intracavernous injection of alprostadil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 29 male patients, with mean age of 53.8 years (32 to 75 years), were prospectively evaluated. The mean time with complaint of erectile dysfunction was 50.5 months (6 to 168 months). Each patient was his own control. Patients underwent a measurement of peak systolic velocity before and after use of sildenafil citrate associated with 5 micrograms of alprostadil, through ultrasonic velocitometry Knoll/MIDUS® system. In the interval between measurements, approximately 15 days, patients used 3 tablets of sildenafil at home with their partners. RESULTS: Using only 5 mcg of alprostadil, average peak systolic velocity was 23.9 cm/s, and when associated to 50 mg of sildenafil it was 24.8 cm/s. Despite the increase in the flow rate caused by sildenafil, the difference was not statistically significant, Zcalculated = - 0.695 NS (Wilcoxon test). Twenty one of the 29 patients (72.4 percent) showed global improvement in sexual performance with the use of sildenafil citrate at home. There was not a statistically significant correlation between the global response to sildenafil citrate and the increase in the peak systolic velocity. CONCLUSION: We concluded that, even though the use of 50 mg of sildenafil citrate associated with 5 mcg of alprostadil provides an increase in the peak systolic velocity of the cavernous arteries, there was no statistic difference in relation to alprostadil alone. There was no correlation between the global response to sildenafil and the increase in the peak systolic velocity.