Management of erectile dysfunction post-radical prostatectomy
File(s)
Author(s)
Saleh, A
Abboudi, H
Ghazal-Aswad, M
Mayer, EK
Vale, JA
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Radical prostatectomy is a commonly performed procedure for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. One of the long-term complications is erectile dysfunction. There is little consensus on the optimal management; however, it is agreed that treatment must be prompt to prevent fibrosis and increase oxygenation of penile tissue. It is vital that patient expectations are discussed, a realistic time frame of treatment provided, and treatment started as close to the prostatectomy as possible. Current treatment regimens rely on phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors as a first-line therapy, with vacuum erection devices and intraurethral suppositories of alprostadil as possible treatment combination options. With nonresponders to these therapies, intracavernosal injections are resorted to. As a final measure, patients undergo the highly invasive penile prosthesis implantation. There is no uniform, objective treatment program for erectile dysfunction post-radical prostatectomy. Management plans are based on poorly conducted and often underpowered studies in combination with physician and patient preferences. They involve the aforementioned drugs and treatment methods in different sequences and doses. Prospective treatments include dietary supplements and gene therapy, which have shown promise with there proposed mechanisms of improving erectile function but are yet to be applied successfully in human patients.
Date Issued
2015-02-23
Date Acceptance
2014-10-16
Citation
Research and Reports in Urology, 2015, 7, pp.19-33
ISSN
2253-2447
Publisher
Dove Medical Press
Start Page
19
End Page
33
Journal / Book Title
Research and Reports in Urology
Volume
7
Copyright Statement
© 2015 Saleh et al. This work is published by Dove Medical Press Limited, and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0)
License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further
permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed.
License. The full terms of the License are available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further
permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed.
Identifier
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25750901
PII: rru-7-019
Subjects
erectile dysfunction
intracavernosal injections
intraurethral suppositories
phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors
vacuum erection devices
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England