Sildenafil citrate-induced penile Doppler

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In the past 15 years sildenafil citrate-induced penile Doppler has emerged as a technique for evaluating erectile dysfunction. It has greater patient acceptability than the usual papaverine-induced color Doppler and is safer.

Sildenafil citrate is a popular vasodilator drug used in treatment of erectile dysfunction and can achieve an erection in as many as 85% of cases irrespective of the cause.

Pathology

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the occasional or consistent inability of a male to attain and maintain a penile erection sufficiently firm and for a long enough duration to permit vaginal penetration.

Erectile dysfunction has a multifactorial etiology. In general, erectile dysfunction increases with age, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, history of smoking, stressful lifestyle and also as a complication following pelvic surgeries.

Papaverine-induced color Doppler

Penile duplex Doppler using intracorporeal pharmacoactive agents, e.g. papaverine, has traditionally been the investigation of choice. The most troublesome side-effects have been discomfort related to intracorporeal injection, anxiety and priapism, a state of persistent and painful erection which may require treatment with blood aspiration, irrigation and injection of alpha-agonist medications.

NB: for complete discussion on the etiologies of erectile dysfunction and details of papaverine-induced color Doppler please see penile Doppler: role in erectile dysfunction.

Procedure

The sildenafil protocol involves a baseline study without administration of a pharmacological agent and includes:

  • measurement of cavernosal artery diameter bilaterally
    • 0.3 - 0.5 mm is considered normal
  • evaluate calcification in cavernosal artery wall (atherosclerotic or diabetic) and tunica albuginea (Peyronie disease)
  • peak systolic velocity, acceleration time, resistive index (RI) of cavernosal artery
  • end-diastolic flow and presence or absence of diastolic reversal of flow

50 mg of sildenafil citrate is administered orally to the patient. The parameters are measured without manual or audiovisual stimulation at 60 minutes post-administration as the serum levels reach peak value by this time. Since sildenafil citrate requires a direct sexual stimulus for maximum effectiveness, an audiovisual stimulus (15 minutes of private continuous visualization of an erotic video) is given. After that, clinical and Doppler evaluations are again performed at five-minute intervals for another 20 minutes with the patient still receiving the audiovisual stimulus.

Side-effects:

The main side-effects are mild headaches and occasional blurring of vision which should be explained to the patient prior to the procedure.

Interpretation

Semiquantitative clinical grading of an erection:
  • 0:  flaccid
  • 1:  mild engorgement of the penis without adequate rigidity
  • 2:  partial erection allowing minimal compression
  • 3:  full visible erection with turgidity and complete stiffness of the penis
Duplex Doppler evaluation of erection:

Cut-off values to define sufficient arterial response are:

Cut-off value to define sufficient veno-occlusion are:

  • end-diastolic forward flow velocity <5 cm/s
  • resistance index >1.00

Conclusion

Sildenafil citrate-induced penile Doppler offers a safer alternative to the traditional papaverine-induced study with 90% sensitivity and 100% selectivity. It is more acceptable to patients than intracorporeal injections.

See also

Siehe auch: