Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LI-ESWT) is a novel treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED). Its ability to improve erectile function has been shown in patients with vasculogenic ED by many randomized-controlled trials against sham procedures. However, the role of LI-ESWT in ED caused by radical prostatectomy (RP) is still questionable because this type of ED was excluded from nearly all clinical studies; it has been investigated in only a few small single-arm trials. This review summarizes preclinical studies on mechanisms of action of LI-ESWT for ED and neurological diseases to explore the potential of this treatment for nerve-impaired ED after RP.
International journal of impotence research. 2017 Nov 27 [Epub ahead of print]
Zi-Jun Zou, Jia-Yu Liang, Zhi-Hong Liu, Rui Gao, Yi-Ping Lu
Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China., Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350005, China. ., Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China. .