Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 5, 2026
Author Spotlight: Advancing Varicocele Treatment with Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation
Published on: August 30, 2024
The Impact of Sacral Neuromodulation on Sexual Dysfunction
Pedro Simoes de Oliveira1, José Palma Reis1, Tiago Ribeiro de Oliveira1
1Department of Urology, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal.
Background/Aims:
Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is a well-established treatment in several urinary and bowel dysfunctions, nevertheless its role on sexual dysfunction remains unclear. We evaluate the impact of SNM on sexual function and its association with age at SNM, functional diagnosis and post-void residual urine (PVR) before SNM.
Methods:
Patients who had SNM were retrospectively analyzed. Sexual function was assessed before and after treatment with the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) for men and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) for women. IIEF-5 and FSFI were also associated with age at SNM, functional diagnosis, and PVR.
Results:
Fifteen females and 9 males, with a median age of 41 years (26-72 years), median follow-up 20.7 months (2-53 months) were enrolled. IIEF-5 improved in 4 patients (p = 0.06), and FSFI total score in 5 (p = 0.2). There was significant association between functional diagnosis and FSFI total score (p = 0.05), and FSFI specific domains of arousal (p = 0.03), lubrication (p = 0.04), and satisfaction (p = 0.03), with significant improvement showed in patients with detrusor overactivity with impaired contractility.
Conclusion:
Although gains observed in IIEF-5 and FSFI were modest, our preliminary results show that SNM may have favorable impact on sexual function.
