Published literature shows low intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LIESWT) and low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) therapy to improve erectile function and penile hemodynamic by inducing neovascularisation and promoting tissue regeneration. Key opinion leaders across the Asia Pacific region attended the recent biennial meeting of the Asia Pacific Society for Sexual Medicine in Australia, and presented the current evidence on LIESWT and LIPUS for erectile dysfunction (ED). The clinical findings were internally discussed, and the quality of evidence was graded based on the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine recommendations. Existing literature supports the use of LIESWT and LIPUS in men with ED, with many clinical studies reported encouraging results with improved erectile function, good safety profile and short-term durability. However, controversial exists due to sampling heterogeneity, non-standardised treatment protocol and lack of large multiinstitutional studies. There is a need to better define which subgroup of ED population is best-suited, and specific treatment protocol to optimise shock wave energy delivery. More stringent and larger multi-institutional randomised placebo-controlled trials are warranted before clinical adoption of LIESWT and LIPUS as the new standard of care for men with ED.
The world journal of men's health. 2020 Jun 02 [Epub ahead of print]
Eric Chung, Joe Lee, Chia Chu Liu, Hisanori Taniguchi, Hui Liang Zhou, Hyun Jun Park
Department of Urology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia., Department of Urology, National University Hospital, Singapore., Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan., Department of Urology and Andrology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan., Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian, Fujian, China., Department of Urology and Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.