Calidad de vida sexual posterior a prostatectomía radical

Abstract

BackgroundProstate cancer is one of the most frequent tumors in men and radical surgery is the most widely used therapeutic option at early stages of the disease. AimsThe aim of this study was to determine the quality of sexual life of the patients that underwent radical prostatectomy. Material and methodsWithin the time frame of January 2003 to January 2013, the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), which analyzes erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction, and overall satisfaction, was applied as a means of evaluating the quality of sexual life before and after surgery. ResultsThe case records of 63 patients with prostate cancer diagnosis that underwent radical prostatectomy within the time frame of January 2003 to January 2013, and that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, were analyzed. Before the surgery, 8 patients presented with mild erectile dysfunction, 27 had some degree of orgasmic dysfunction, and 26 patients presented with reduced sexual desire. After the surgery, one patient presented with severe erectile dysfunction, 61 patients presented with moderate dysfunction, and one patient had mild-to-moderate dysfunction. One hundred percent of the patients presented with some degree of orgasmic dysfunction and decrease in sexual desire and intercourse satisfaction. Orgasmic dysfunction resulted in a p of 0.015 and erectile dysfunction produced a p of 0.314 in favor of bilateral vs. unilateral sparing of the neurovascular bundles. ConclusionsDespite the fact that the majority of patients presented some degree of dysfunction, the main determining factor of quality of sexual life in relation to both erectile and orgasmic functions was the unilateral or bilateral sparing of the neurovascular bundles.