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Prevalence of post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction and a review of the recommended therapeutic modalities

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 33, pages 401–409 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Radical prostatectomy (RP) represents one of the most commonly used first-line treatment modalities in men with localized prostate cancer. One of the most feared post-surgical complications is erectile dysfunction (ED), usually caused by direct damage to the cavernous nerves or due to neuropraxia. Penile rehabilitation is an emerging concept that was proposed to stimulate and accelerate recovery of erectile function after RP. The goal is to improve blood flow to the penis, increasing cavernous oxygenation and avoiding fibrosis. The most common used modalities include oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5-I), vacuum erection devices (VEDs), intracorporeal injection (ICI) therapy, medicated urethral system for erections (MUSE), and a combination of these treatments. For those patients with severe ED, ED refractory to medical therapy and/or seeking long term reliable results, the penile prosthesis implant remains an excellent alternative. We conducted a broad review of post-prostatectomy ED prevalence with different techniques and the success rates of the different therapeutic approaches.

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  1. Department of Urology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States of America

    Thiago Fernandes Negris Lima, Joshua Bitran, Fabio Stefano Frech & Ranjith Ramasamy

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Lima, T.F.N., Bitran, J., Frech, F.S. et al. Prevalence of post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction and a review of the recommended therapeutic modalities. Int J Impot Res 33, 401–409 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-020-00374-8

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