83 PENILE HAEMODYNAMIC CHANGES IN POST-RADICAL CYSTECTOMY PATIENTS

Male erectile dysfunction (ED) after radical cystectomy (RC) is a prevalent problem. Various potency rates after nerve-sparing RC have been reported. Some authors indicated that 49–80% of the patients had erection after nerve-sparing radical cystoprostatectomy (Breza et al., 1989; Austoni et al., 1994; Chiang et al., 1997; Dubbelman et al., 2006, 2008; Miyao et al., 2001). However, Zippe et al. (2004) showed that only 14% of the patients recovered erectile function (EF) after surgery. Moreover, attempted nerve sparing (NS) and younger age are both associated with more frequent recovery of EF (Kessler et al., 2004). In contrast to radical prostatectomy, few reports discussed the haemodynamic vascular changes in postradical cystectomy cases. Post-radical pelvic surgery and neuro-vascular factors may be of great importance. The incidence of veno-occlusive dysfunction increases with time in postoperative period with up to 50% in post-prostatectomy impotence (Mulhall et al., 2002). Arteriogenic cause of ED may have a role in non-nerve sparing (NNS) cases. Different methods such as Rigi scan, cavenosography and cavernosometry are used to assess the penile EF and its vasculature. Colour Doppler ultrasound appears to be the most reliable, non-invasive diagnostic test for ED, especially after radical prostatectomy in patients who do not respond to pharmacotherapy (Dubbelman et al., 2006). In this study, we aimed to assess the penile haemodynamic vascular changes in post-radical cystectomy