[Acceptance of corpus cavernosum auto-injection therapy in long-term treatment of erectile dysfunction]

A total of 121 patients suffering from erectile dysfunction were evaluated by means of a questionnaire. In all these cases corpus cavernosum autoinjection therapy had been recommended. The aim of the study was to determine the acceptance and complications of the therapy, general level of satisfaction with it, and reasons for refusal. Completed questionnaire were received from 89 patients (75.5%), 56.2% of whom had applied the therapy continuously, while 18% had broken it off and 25.8% had never started on therapy (cumulative dropout rate 43.8%). The complications encountered were temporary hematomas (25.8) and deviations of the penis (10.1%). In 6.1% indurations of the penis were found. The frequency of prolonged erection needing an antidote was 0.07% in the continuous treatment group. The relatively high drop-out rate in the autoinjection therapy group shows the necessity for intensive patient care and the need for alternative therapy options and a more critical view of reports already published of success with autoinjection therapy.