Percutaneous embolization for erectile dysfunction due to venous leakage: Prognostic factors for a good therapeutic result

Objectives: To identify prognostic parameters for patient outcome after emb olization for erectile dysfunction (ED) due to venous leakage (VL). Methods: 23 patients presenting with ED due to pure venous leakage were sel ected. Intracavernous pharmacological testing, Doppler ultrasound, dynamic cavernosography-cavernosometry and cavernous oxygen tension were done. All patients underwent embolization of the leakage areas visualized. The result s were assessed in terms of the response: good, partial or absent. Mean val ues were calculated for diastolic flow, oxygen tension, maintenance flow an d pressure decay, and were compared between the group of patients who respo nded and the group which did not respond using Student's t test. Results: 26% had a good response, with a mean follow-up of 22 months, if we include partial response and adjuvant therapy this rate rises to 44%. A st atistically significant relationship was found between the intracavernous o xygen tension and maintenance flow with a good response to treatment; patie nts with cavernosography types I and II showed a better response to treatme nt than those with cavernosography type III. Conclusions: Maintenance flow, intracavernous oxygen tension, and cavernoso graphy types can be prognostic factors of success in the treatment of ED du e to pure VL with embolization. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.