Intracavernosal pharmacotherapy; Comparative study of the 3Ps solution with prostaglandin E1 [PGE1]

ABSTRACT

Intracavernosal pharmacotherapy has revolutionized treatment of erectile dysfunction. In this study, 84 patients with impotence were classified into two groups [42 for each] and they were injected with PGE1 alone [20 ug/ml] and "3Ps" solution containing papaverine [12 mg/ml], PGE1 [9 ug/ml] and phentolamine [1 mg/ml] in a double blind-crossover maneuver of treatment. Prostaglandin El alone induced full rigid-satisfactory erection in 71.4% of treated patients, with mean time of latency between injection of the drug and start of tumescence of 14 minutes and average duration of erection of 131.8 minutes. In the "3Ps" solution, full rigid-satisfactory erection was obtained in 90.5% of the treated cases, with a latency period of 8.4 minutes and duration of erection of 182.8 minutes. Penile self stimulation was required in the PGE1-alone treated group in 76.2% of cases, while it was only required in 52.4% of cases in the "3Ps" treated group of patients. Side effects of both drug regimens were minimal and not severe, and they were less frequently occurring in the "3Ps" solution treated group of patients. It was concluded that the use of PGE1 in combination with other vasoactive drugs makes the combination more durable in action and with less side effects than if the drug was used alone. Also, the dosage required for each vasoactive agent is less than that if each drug is used alone