[Criteria of Rigiscan normalcy in aged men]

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Andrology
• Sexual Medicine

Background:

• Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common concern in aging men, particularly after prostatectomy.
• Establishing baseline erectile function in potent older men is crucial for understanding post-surgical outcomes.
• Nerve-sparing radical retropubic prostatectomy (NS-RRP) aims to preserve erectile function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define penile tumescence and rigidity in potent older men prior to NS-RRP.
• To establish normative data for diagnosing ED in this demographic.
• To investigate correlations between objective and subjective measures of erectile function.

Main Methods:

• 75 potent men undergoing NS-RRP used Rigiscan for 2-3 nights pre-operatively.
• Rigiscan data underwent visual and computerized analysis.
• Data were compared with patient self-evaluation, age, Duplex Doppler peak cavernosal artery velocity, and visual Rigiscan analysis.

Main Results:

• Age significantly characterized Rigiscan findings (p < 0.05), with younger men (<60) showing greater tip rigidity.
• Nearly all men achieved erections lasting >2 minutes, but only 29/74 had rigidity >70% for 10 minutes.
• Best correlation between visual and computerized Rigiscan analysis was in men with >70% rigidity for >2 minutes.

Conclusions:

• Rigiscan, alongside subjective and objective parameters, aids in establishing normative data for ED diagnosis in potent older men.
• A notable finding was the lack of correlation between patient questionnaires or Doppler findings and Rigiscan data.
• This study provides valuable baseline erectile function data for men undergoing NS-RRP.