The vascular and neurogenic factors associated with erectile dysfunction in patients after pelvic fractures

ABSTRACT Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common complication of pelvic fractures. To identify the vascular and neurogenic factors associated with ED, 120 patients admitted with ED after traumatic pelvic fracture between January 2009 and June 2013 were enrolled in this study. All patients answered the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire. Nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) testing confirmed the occurrence of ED in 96 (80%) patients on whom penile duplex ultrasound and neurophysiological testing were further performed. Of these ED patients 29 (30%) were demonstrated only with vascular abnormality, 41 (42.7%) were detected only with neural abnormality, 26 (27.1%) revealed mixed abnormalities. Of the 55 patients (29+26) with vascular problems, 7 patients (12.7%) with abnormal arterial response to intracavernous injection of Bimix (15mg papaverine and 1mg phentolamine), 31 (56.4%) with corporal veno-occlusive dysfunction and 17 (30.9%) had both problems. Of the 67 (41+26) patients with abnormal neurophysiological outcomes, 51 (76.1%) with abnormal bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR), 20 (29.9%) with pathological pudendal nerve evoked potentials (PDEPs) and 25 (37.3%) with abnormal posterior tibial somatosensory nerve evoked potentials (PTSSEPs). Our observation indicated that neurogenic factors are important for the generation of ED in patients with pelvic fracture; venous impotence is more common than arteriogenic ED.

Cavernous body reduction in four patients with erectile dysfunction due to insufficient venous occlusion and a deficit of elastic fibers in the tunica albugínea

INTRODUCTION: The corpora cavernosa are cylindrical vessels containing fluid under pressure. Thus, if cavernous wall resistance decreases, the radius increases and internal pressure decreases (LaPlace's law). We reasoned that if we decrease the corpus cavernosum radius, by excising a strip from each tunica albuginea, intracavernous pressure would increase during erection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We treated with this procedure, four patients (mean age 41.5) with long-standing erectile dysfunction due to veno-occlusive dysfunction, non-responders to phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors and intracavernous PGE1 injection. RESULTS: Two months post-surgery, intracavernous PGE1 (40 mcg) induced a satisfactory erection in two patients and a 45 percent and 58 percent tumescence in the other two. PGE1 responders also responded to 100 mg sildenafil. After 100 mg sildenafil and 20 mg tadalafil, the two non-responders had erections that enabled penetration but were short lasting. CONCLUSION: The procedure described could be more effective than cavernous revascularization operations. The results seem to confirm the mathematical assumptions.

Plastía de pene tipo peri-cavernoplastía para el manejo de la disfunción eréctil / Penis Peri-Cavernoplasty for Erectile Disfunction Treatment

La cirugía venosa del pene para tratamiento de la disfunción eréctil (D.E.) se hizo muy popular en la década de los '80, pero los pobres resultados a largo plazo hicieron que fuera dejada de lado; resultados mejorados asociados a criterios estrictos de selección han permitido un renovado interés por esta alternativa terapéutica de la D.E. Presentamos nuestra experiencia con la técnica de pericavernoplastía con cinta de Dacron descrita por Rossi: tres de los nueve pacientes operados presentaban erecciones útiles al control a los doce meses (33 por ciento); probablemente este bajo resultado fue más relacionada con la selección de los pacientes que con falla en la técnica quirúrgica. Creemos que puede ser una alternativa válida para servicios de salud sin acceso a prótesis de pene.

Penile venous surgery was very popular in the ’80 ies, but unsatisfactory long-term results reduced this indication for the therapy of erectile dysfunction. Better selection criteria have been associated to an increased success rate and renewed interest in venous surgery. We made an experience with the Rossi’s pericavernoplasty technique: only 33% of the patients in our group reported a good erection in the longterm follow up at 12 months. This low rate is probably more related to a poor selection of the patients than a failure of the surgical technique. We consider this could be a good option for health services with no access for penile prosthesis.

Anatomia radiológica dos corpos cavernosos e sistema venoso peniano / Cavernosum corpus radiologycal anatomy and penian venous system

Estudou-se o comportamento das veias dorsais profundas do pênis, com o auxílio da técnica de cavernosonografia modificada proposta, utilizando-se constraste iodado. Analisou-se 98 pacientes submetidos a contraste iodado. Analisou-se 98 pacientes submetidos a esta técnica, visando observar o comportamento anatômico da veia dorsal profunda do pênis e o comprometimento da disfunção erétil por fuga venosa. Constatou-se a ocorrência de varizes com fuga venosa bilateral em 11,3 por cento dos casos e varizes unilaterais com fuga venosa à esquerda em 68,4 por cento dos casos. Estes achados sugerem o elevado nível de comprometimento do ramo esquerdo da veia dorsal profunda do pênis nos casos de etiologia de disfunção por fuga venosa