LONG-TERM RESULTS FOLLOWING DORSAL PENILE VEIN LIGATION IN 126 PATIENTS WITH VENOOCCLUSIVE DYSFUNCTION

One hundred and forty-seven patients who had dorsal penile vein ligati on (DPVL) between 1987 and 1996 were re-investigated either during cli nical consultation or by standardised telephone interview respectively questionnaire. One hundred and twenty-six patients were available for long-term follow-up. Postoperative outcome was classified into comple te spontaneous erection, postoperative response to pharmacotherapy or no satisfactory improvement. The short-term success after 1-3 months a ccording to this classification was 31 (24.6%), 25 (19.8%) and 70 (55. 6%). These results were found to have deteriorated on long-term observ ation; with only 14 (11.2%), 24 (19.0%) and 88 (69.8%) respectively. P ositive prognostic factors were preoperative duration of erectile dysf unction of less than or equal to 7y, a normal CC-EMG and a maintenance now of less than or equal to 45 ml/min. With all three parameters pre sent, longterm success (spontaneous erection plus responder to intraca vernous injection) rose from 30 to 67% in this selected group (P less than or equal to 0.001). Our study shows that long-term success for un selected patients undergoing DPVL is disappointing; however, careful p atient selection significantly improves long-term results.