Abstract
Aim
To evaluate the role of low-intensity extra corporeal shock wave therapy (LI-ESWT) in penile rehabilitation (PR) post nerve-sparing radical cystoprostatectomy (NS-RCP).
Materials and methods
This study included 152 sexually active men with muscle invasive bladder cancer. After bilateral NS-RCP with orthotopic diversion by a single expert surgeon between June 2014 and July 2016, 128 patients were available categorized into three groups: LI-ESWT group (42 patients), phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors (PDE5i) group (43 patients), and control group (43 patients).
Results
Mean age was 53.2 ± 6.5 years. Mean ± SD follow-up period was 21 ± 8 months. During first follow-up FU1, all patients of the three groups had insufficient erection for vaginal penetration; with decrease of preoperative IIEF-EF mean score from 27.9 to 6.9. Potency recovery rates at 9 months were 76.2%, 79.1%, and 60.5% in LI-ESWT, PDE5i, and control groups, respectively. There was statistically significant increase in IIEF-EF and EHS scores during all follow-up periods in all the study groups (p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between the three groups during all follow-up periods. Statistical evaluation showed no significant difference in continence and oncological outcomes during all follow-up points among the three groups (p = 0.55 and 0.07, respectively).
Conclusions
During last follow-up, 16% more patients in LI-ESWT group had recovery of potency as compared to the control group. Although the difference is not statistically significant, but of clinical importance. LI-ESWT is safe as oral PDE5i in penile rehabilitation post nerve-sparing radical cystoprostatectomy.
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Tamer S. Zewin, Ahmed El-Assmy, Ahmed M. Harraz, Mahmoud Bazeed, Ahmed A. Shokeir, Khaled Sheir, and Ahmed Mosbah declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
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Zewin, T.S., El-Assmy, A., Harraz, A.M. et al. Efficacy and safety of low-intensity shock wave therapy in penile rehabilitation post nerve-sparing radical cystoprostatectomy: a randomized controlled trial. Int Urol Nephrol 50, 2007–2014 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-018-1987-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-018-1987-6