Abstract

Abstract Introduction Erectile Dysfunction (ED) has become an increasingly common disorder in young adult males. There are multiple etiologies of ED ranging from vascular, neurogenic, and structural causes. Often times, ED presenting in young men is psychiatric in nature as opposed to the other causes that typically present in older patients. ED found in young, healthy men with no history of systemic disease or traumatic injury, can be challenging. Past research has shown that men ages 18-35 typically have normal lab results and are treated with PDE-5 inhibitors. However, our data suggests that patients whose symptoms do not improve following the use of PDE-5 inhibitors may have a vascular etiology of ED. Objective Our objective is to determine the prevalence of venous leaks in young adult males who present with ED, but do not respond well to PDE-5 inhibitors. Methods Patients who underwent inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) surgery for the treatment of ED over a 36-month period under the age of 35 who had failed PDE-5 inhibitors were identified from our database retrospectively. All patients completed an IIEF-5 questionnaire and had a penile doppler ultrasound (PDUS) performed preoperatively. PDUS was used to identify and record cavernous arterial flow signals before and after stimulation. Veno-occlusive ED was described as persistent End Diastolic Velocity (EDV) over 5 cm/sec during all phases of erection. The relationships, according to Doppler diagnosis, IIEF-5 score, SHIM scale, and erection score were evaluated as well as surgical outcomes and patient comorbidities. Results 1,558 patients were evaluated in this series, of whom 32 met inclusion criteria. Patients ages ranged from 18 to 35, with a mean age of 28.4. PDUS determined that 27 (84%) suffered from veno-occlusive disease, while 3 (9%) had arterial insufficiency due to DMI and 2 (7%) had neuropraxia. Of those veno-occlusive disease patients, EDV values ranged from 7.4 to 21.2, with a mean of 13.4, with peak systolic velocity values ranging from 45 to 122cm, with a mean of 97. All patients in this cohort had successful penile prosthesis implantation without complications or need for revision. Conclusions Doppler examination does indeed suggest that patients with cavernous venous occlusive dysfunction have moderate to severe leaks. We strongly recommend a baseline PDUS following PDE-5 inhibitor failure due to the significant prevalence of veno-ccclusive disease in this rare patient population. Furthermore, if veno-occlusive disease is identified during PDUS, we encourage frank discussion of penile prosthesis placement with the patient as well as the severity of veno-occlusive disease and its resultant effect of worsening ED. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: coloplast, boston scientific

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