Background: The improvement of absent or partial response in the medical treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) has led to the development of minimally invasive new treatment modalities in the field of regenerative medicine. Methods: A literature review on stem cell therapy for the treatment of ED was performed. We searched for the terms "erectile dysfunction" and "stem cell therapy" in PubMed and Clinicaltrials.gov. Literature searching was conducted in English and included articles from 2010 to 2022. Results: New treatment modalities for ED involving stem cell therapy are not only conceived with a curative intent but also aim to avoid unnecessary adverse effects. Several sources of stem cells have been described, each with unique characteristics and potential applications, and different delivery methods have been explored. A limited number of interventional studies over the past recent years have provided evidence of a safety profile in their use and promising results for the treatment of ED, although there are not enough studies to generate an appropriate protocol, dose or cell lineage, or to determine a mechanism of action. Conclusions: Stem cell therapy is a novel treatment for ED with potential future applications. However, most urological societies agree that further research is required to conclusively prove its potential benefit.
Life (Basel, Switzerland). 2023 Feb 11*** epublish ***
Xabier Pérez-Aizpurua, María Garranzo-Ibarrola, Carlos Simón-Rodríguez, Juan Vicente García-Cardoso, César Chávez-Roa, Leticia López-Martín, Jaime Jorge Tufet I Jaumot, Josué Alonso-Román, Jesús Maqueda-Arellano, Blanca Gómez-Jordana, Joaquín Ruiz de Castroviejo-Blanco, Felipe Osorio-Ospina, Carmen González-Enguita, Mariano García-Arranz
Urology Department, Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, 28040 Madrid, Spain., Urology Department, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Macarena, 41009 Sevilla, Spain., Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IIS-FJD), Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, 28040 Madrid, Spain.