ELECTRICAL-ACTIVITY OF THE CORPUS CAVERNOSUM IN PATIENTS WITH CORPORAL VENOOCCLUSIVE DYSFUNCTION

Objective To determine whether the pattern of discoordination (an incr ease in electrical activity of the corpus cavernosum after an intracav ernous injection with papaverine and which results in the contraction of the cavernous smooth muscles instead of relaxation) is an aetiologi cal factor in veno-occlusive dysfunction (VOD). Patients and methods E lectromyography of the corpus cavernosum was performed before and afte r an intra- cavernous injection with 60 mg papaverine in 45 patients d iagnosed as having venogenic erectile dysfunction by colour Doppler ul trasonic flowmetry and dynamic infusion cavernosometry and cavernosogr aphy. Cavernosometric values were compared in patients with and with n o pattern of discoordination. Results A pattern of discoordination occ urred in 14 patients (31%). There were significant differences in the cavernosometric values of patients with and with no discoordination. A poor response to papaverine and greater venous leakage were observed in the patients showing discoordination. Conclusion The pattern of dis coordination diagnosed by electromyography after injection with papave rine may explain some aspects of VOD and highlights the importance of performing electromyography of the corpus cavernosum in the diagnostic evaluation of VOD.