Early experience with balloon angioplasty of internal iliac arteries for vasculogenic impotence

Five patients with vasculogenic impotence underwent balloon angioplasty of internal iliac and/or internal pudendal artery obstructions in an attempt to increase the blood pressure in the dorsalis penis artery and thus improve erectile function. Four patients had bilateral obstructions, and one patient had unilateral iliopudendal arterial disease. Balloon angioplasty was used to dilate bilateral lesions in three patients and unilateral lesions in two patients. Four of the five patients had improvement in erectile function for 2 to 18 months (mean, 12 months) after angioplasty. We conclude that balloon angioplasty is an adequate, expeditious, and relatively inexpensive method for treating subtotal obstruction of the internal iliac and/or internal pudendal arteries in patients with vasculogenic impotence.