Diagnostic Value of Intracavernous papaverine-Induced Artificial Erection

Oh, Chung Hwan; Kim, Sae Chul

Abstract

To determine whether intracavernous injection of papaverine can discriminate vascular versus psychogenic impotence 40mg papaverine were injected intracorporally into 203 importens. And the diagnostic usefulness of intracavernous papaverine-induced artificial erection was compared with Snap Gauge test, penile brachial index(PBI), internal pudendal angiography and cavernosography. The results obtained were as follows ; 1. Among the 119 psychogenic impotent patients, 104(87.4%) showed full rigid erection and 1(0.8%) soft or absent erection at 5 minutes after injection, and 88(73.8%) full rigid erection and 2(1.7%) soft or absent erection at 30 minutes after injection. Among 33 patients with arteriogenic impotence none showed full rigid erection and 20(60.6%) soft or absent erection at 30 minutes. Among 12 patients with venous leak only one(8.3 %) showed full erection at 5 minutes, and none fully rigid erection and 7(58.3%) soft or absent erection at 30 minutes. 2. Of the 78 patients with an abnormal Snap Gauge test, the response papaverine injection was absent in 37(47.4%) and fully rigid erection in 11(14.1%). Of the 105 patients with a normal Snap Gauge test the response was full erection in 89(84.7%) and absent in 2(1.9%). 3. Among 17 patients of PBI < 0.75, 14(82.4%) showed soft or full erection and one(5.9%) full erection with papaverine injection. Among 186 patients of PBI >=0.75, 26(13.9%) showed soft or absent erection and 113(60.7%) full erection with papaverine injection. 4. Among 27 patients with severe arterial lesion on arteriogram, the response to papaverine injection was absent in 18(66.7%) and full erection in one(3.7%). Among 20 patients with severe venous leak on cavernosogram the response to papaverine injection was absent in 12(60.6%) and full erection in one(5.0%). Therefore, we conclude intracavernous papaverine-induced artificial erection is the best valuable test for differentialdiagnosis of psychogenic and vasculogenic impotence.