[Impotence in diabetes mellitus. Etiological factors and therapeutic possibilities]

The neurovascular causes of diabetic impotence are presented. 55 men presenting impotence and diabetes mellitus were examined in an extended diagnostic program. Nocturnal penile tumescence and Papaverin-test showed psychogenic impotence in 10 of these men, which lead to psychosexual therapy of the couple. Because of regional erectile lesions (Mb. Peyronie, penile trauma, inborn penile deviation, Priapism) 8 further diabetics were successfully operated. The remaining 37 patients with diabetes mellitus showed vascular erectile lesions (increased venous drainage in 7 and decreased arterial inflow in 30 men) and were operated upon with the following methods: Microsurgical arterialisation of the penile vein via a V. saphena-graft to the iliaque artery was done in 4 patients. There was an amelioration in 2 and a longterm failure in the remaining 2 men. Vein ligation of both internal iliaque veins and lateral penile veins in 7 patients resulted in 2 short term improvements and 5 failures. Flexible penile prostheses (AMS- and Jonas-prostheses) in 26 patients showed good results in 24 and infectious complications in 2 of them (Explanation of both prostheses, ones partial penile amputation). Vascular interventions for diabetic impotence seem to be of questionable value and therefore the implantation of penile prostheses should be preferred. In diabetics, infection of the alloplastic implants is particularly dangerous and may lead to septicemia and penile amputation.