NUCLEAR MEDICAL ASSESSMENT OF PENILE HEMODYNAMICS FOLLOWING REVASCULARIZATION SURGERY

Variations of Hauri's penile revascularization have been in clinical u se since 1983. The hemodynamics of the so-called three-vessel anastomo sis remain uncertain despite successful, clinically reproducible resul ts. The goal of this study was to depict the increased perfusion of th e erectile system of the penis following revascularization by means of the inferior epigastric artery. Ten milliliters of heparinized periph eral venous blood was drawn from 10 patients prior to surgery. The rad ioactively tagged erythrocytes (1 mCi Tc-99m) were reinjected via an a dditional incision in the donor vessel proximal to the anastomosis fol lowing completion of the three-vessel anastomosis and intracavernous i njection of 20 mu g PGE(1). Once again, blood was drawn during the tum escence phase from both a peripheral vein and the corpora cavernosa wi thin the normal circulatory duration and compared to the original spec imen. Eight of ten patients displayed evidence of primary reperfusion of the corpora cavernosa via the inferior epigastric artery as the don or vessel. Using strict indications, revascularization of the penis is an effective mode of therapy for arterial erectile dysfunction.