AIMS: Obstructive pelvic arterial lesions are highly prevalent in patients with erectile dysfunction and commonly located in penile artery segments.
In this first-in-man study, we intended to assess the safety and feasibility of balloon angioplasty for isolated penile artery stenoses in patients with erectile dysfunction.
METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-five patients with erectile dysfunction and isolated penile artery stenoses (unilateral stenosis ≥70% or bilateral stenoses ≥50%) identified by pelvic computed tomographic angiography were enrolled. A total of 20 patients (mean age 61 years (range, 48-79 years)) underwent balloon angioplasty. Three patients had bilateral penile artery stenoses. Procedural success was achieved in all 23 penile arteries, with an average balloon size of 1.6 mm (range, 1.00-2.25 mm). The average International Index for Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) score improved from 10.0±5.2 at baseline to 15.2±6.7 (p< 0.001) at one month and 15.2±6.3 (p< 0.001) at six months. Clinical success (change in the IIEF-5 score ≥4 or normalisation of erectile function [IIEF-5 ≥22]) was achieved in 15 (75%), 13 (65%), and 12 (60%) patients at one, three, and six months, respectively. There were no adverse events through follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS: For the first time we demonstrated that penile artery angioplasty is safe and can achieve clinically significant improvement in erectile function in 60% of patients with erectile dysfunction and isolated penile artery stenoses.
Written by:
Wang TD, Lee WJ, Yang SC, Lin PC, Tai HC, Hsieh JT, Liu SP, Huang CH, Chen WJ, Chen MF. Are you the author?
Cardiovascular Center and Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Reference: EuroIntervention. 2014 May;10(1):147-56.
doi: 10.4244/EIJV10I1A23
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 24832642
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