COMPARISON OF A MIXTURE OF PAPAVERINE, PHENTOLAMINE AND PROSTAGLANDINE(1) WITH OTHER INTRACAVERNOUS INJECTIONS

Objective: evaluation of a self-injection program with a mixture of pa paverine, phentolamine and prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)). Method: a self -injection program for erectile dysfunction was started by 48 patients , using a 1-ml mixture of 4.5 mg papaverine, 0.2 mg phentolamine and 1 .5 mu g PGE(1). Patients completed a questionnaire at 6 weeks and at 3 months and were followed at the Outpatients Department for an average of 1 year. Result: of these patients 25 had previous experience with 20 mu g PGE(1) for intracavernous use and 22 patients had previously u sed 30 mg papaverine with 1 mg phentolamine. None of these 3 self-inje ction drugs is obviously superior in its ability to induce erections. Priapism occurred twice on a total of 1,290 injections. After 1-year f ollow-up, 4 patients had developed problems with fibrosis of the corpo ra, 2 of whom had encountered this problem also in a previous self-inj ection program. Conclusion: this triple mixture has the disadvantage o f causing fibrosis and priapism in susceptible patients.