Minerva Cardioangiologica 2020 Jun 02

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4725.20.05136-1

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Endovascular therapy for erectile dysfunction: a state of the art review

Giuseppe SANGIORGI ¹ ✉, Alessandra PIZZUTO ¹, Nicholas DIEHM ², Francesco GRECO ³, Ferdinando FUSCO ⁴, Gaetano CHIRICOLO ¹, Alberto VISMARA ³, Vincenzo ALTIERI ³, Alberto CEREDA ⁵, Sante BONGO ⁵

¹ Division of Cardiology, Department of Systemic Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; ² Vascular Institute Central Switzerland, Aarau, Switzerland; ³ Department of Urology, Humanitas Gavazzeni, Bergamo, Italy; ⁴ Department of Urology, University “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy; ⁵ Division of Cardiology, Clinica San Gaudenzio, Novara, Italy

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the inability to attain or maintain penile erection sufficient for successful sexual intercourse. ED carries a notable influence on quality of life, with significant implications for family and social relationships. Because atherosclerosis of penile arteries represents one of the most frequent causes of ED, patients presenting with it should always be investigated for potential coexistent coronary or peripheral disease. Up to 75% of patients with ED have a stenosis of the iliac-pudendal-penile arteries, supplying perfusion of the male genital organ. Recently the potential treatment of this pathological condition by percutaneous approaches has emerged with good angiographic results and with a significant improvement in symptoms and quality of life. This review will focus on the normal anatomy and physiology of erection, the pathophysiology of ED, the relation between ED and cardiovascular diseases and, lastly, on new treatment modalities aimed at restoration of normal erectile function.

KEY WORDS: Erectile dysfunction; Paclitaxel eluting balloon; Sirolimus eluting balloon; Venous embolization; Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave