[Erectile dysfunction of male spinal cord injury patients]

Different problems regarding erectile dysfunction in men with spinal cord-injury are outlined. Neuroanatomical and neurophysiological aspects of erection and ejaculation are outlined and brought into relation with the different clinical pictures of such lesions. Different therapeutical possibilities are presented, particularly the new treatments like intracavernous papaverine (autoinjection), prostaglandin E1 and transcutaneous nitroglycerin; action, advantages and indications are discussed. The experience in ten para- or tetraplegic patients are discussed. It seems that even in spite of the higher price of PGE1 this treatment of the erectile dysfunction in spinal cord-injured men should be preferred, since it shows more advantages and less complications than other treatments.