EVALUATION OF VASCULOGENIC IMPOTENCE BY MONITORING OF CAVERNOUS OXYGEN-TENSION

Color coded duplex sonography, regarded as the gold standard in penile vascular evaluation, does not yield data on cavernous oxygenation its elf In addition to using color coded duplex sonography to measure peak flow velocity in cavernous arteries after injection of 20 mug. prosta glandin E1 in 34 unselected patients with impotence, we monitored cave rnous oxygen tension with an oxygen-sensitive Eppendorf needle electro de. During flaccidity the mean cavernous oxygen tension of 38 mm. Hg i ncreased to 61 mm. Hg after injection of prostaglandin E1. Peak flow s hown with color coded duplex sonography and maximal oxygen tension cor related well in 24 men (71%). However, in 10 men (29%) normal peak flo w did not result in a cavernous oxygen tension of greater than 65 mm. Hg, so this might have been isolated cavernous perfusion defects. In c ontrast, there was no case of impaired arterial inflow and high oxygen tension. Monitoring of cavernous oxygen tension allows for characteri zation of patients with cavernous perfusion deficiency. This new and s imple diagnostic method might help to improve diagnosis and followup a fter penile vascular surgery. However, more data on patients and contr ols will be required to define normal ranges.