Penile vascular surgery for treating erectile dysfunction: Current role and future direction

Peer review under responsibility of Arab Association of Urology.

Abstract

Penile vascular surgery for treating erectile dysfunction (ED) is still regarded cautiously. Thus we reviewed relevant publications from the last decade, summarising evidence-based reports consistent with the pessimistic consensus and, by contrast, the optimistically viable options for vascular reconstruction for ED published after 2003. Recent studies support a revised model of the tunica albuginea of the corpora cavernosa as a bi-layered structure with a 360° complete inner circular layer and a 300° incomplete outer longitudinal coat. Additional studies show a more sophisticated venous drainage system than previously understood, and most significantly, that the emissary veins can be easily occluded by the shearing action elicited by the inner and outer layers of the tunica albuginea. Pascal’s law has been shown to be a significant, if not the major, factor in erectile mechanics, with recent haemodynamic studies on fresh and defrosted human cadavers showing rigid erections despite the lack of endothelial activity. Reports on revascularisation surgery support its utility in treating arterial trauma in young males, and with localised arterial occlusive disease in the older man. Penile venous stripping surgery has been shown to be beneficial in correcting veno-occlusive dysfunction, with outstanding results. The traditional complications of irreversible penile numbness and deformity have been virtually eliminated, with the venous ligation technique superseding venous cautery. Penile vascular reconstructive surgery is viable if, and only if, the surgical handling is appropriate using a sound method. It should be a promising option in the near future.

Keywords:

• Penile arterial insufficiency
• Arterial reconstruction
• Veno-occlusive dysfunction
• Venous stripping
• Erectile dysfunction

Abbreviations:

• CC, corpora cavernosa
• ED, erectile dysfunction
• DDV, deep dorsal vein
• CV, cavernous vein
• PAV, para-arterial vein
• ERV, erection-related vein
• VOD, veno-occlusive dysfunction
• PRS, penile revascularisation surgery
• IEGA, inferior epigastric artery
• PCL, penile crural ligation
• DPVL, dorsal penile vein ligation
• PVS, penile venous stripping

Acknowledgements

We thank Ms Hsiu-Chen Lu for illustrations, Mrs Yi-Ting Wang, Luan-Hua Ho, Nicola Chen and Yu-Jen Lin for their preparations of photographs for this paper.

Notes

Peer review under responsibility of Arab Association of Urology.