The risk of postoperative erectile dysfunction (ED) following radical prostatectomy (RP) is reported to be between 14% and 89%.
With an increase in the detection of prostate cancer in younger men, there is a greater emphasis on the appropriate management of ED following RP. A number of options are available to manage ED after RP, including phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, intracorporeal injections, intraurethral alprostadil, and vacuum erection devices (VEDs). Penile rehabilitation programs are increasingly used to facilitate the return of natural postoperative erections; the VED is an ideal therapy given that it increases blood flow and oxygenation to the corpora to reverse the changes that result in ED after RP.
Written by:
Hoyland K, Vasdev N, Adshead J. Are you the author?
Hertfordshire and South Bedfordshire Robotic Cancer Centre, Department of Urology, Lister Hospital, Stevenage, UK.
Reference: Rev Urol. 2013;15(2):67-71.
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 24082845
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