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Penile sufficiency: an operational definition
C M Earls1, A Morales, W L Marshall
1Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Ontario, Canada.
The Journal of Urology
|March 1, 1988
Summary
Normal men often perceive an erection sufficient for penetration before reaching maximum penile tumescence. Standard assessment methods may not detect upper-range tumescence changes, impacting impotence diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Sexual Medicine
- Physiology
Background:
- Defining erectile sufficiency for vaginal penetration is crucial for diagnosing erectile dysfunction.
- Current assessment methods may lack sensitivity in detecting subtle changes in penile tumescence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To precisely define erectile sufficiency for vaginal penetration.
- To evaluate the sensitivity of standard penile tumescence assessment techniques.
- To investigate the achievement of full erections under laboratory conditions.
Main Methods:
- 19 healthy men were exposed to erotic stimuli.
- Penile tumescence was recorded using polygraphy and strain gauges.
- Subjects self-reported perceived sufficiency for penetration and full erection.
Main Results:
- Maximal penile tumescence was achieved before subjects signaled sufficiency in most cases.
- A significant interval existed between perceived sufficiency and full erection without measurable tumescence changes.
- 37% of normal subjects failed to achieve a full erection during visual sexual stimulation in a lab setting.
Conclusions:
- Standard penile tumescence assessment techniques may not be sensitive enough to detect upper-range changes.
- These findings have implications for the etiological diagnosis of impotence, particularly concerning diurnal penile tumescence.
- A notable percentage of normal men may not achieve full erections under laboratory visual sexual stimulation conditions.