Impotence: evaluation with cavernosography

Many patients with organic impotence do not have abnormalities of the penile arterial system. To determine the function of the venous system in erection, cavernosography was performed in 187 impotent men during artificial induction of erection with monitoring of intracavernous pressure and inflow. To evaluate the mechanism of active erection, 69 patients also received intracavernous injections of papaverine. Venous leakage was found in 88 patients. In these patients, a higher than normal rate of flow of diluted, heparinized contrast medium was required to initiate and maintain erection. Opacification of the prostatic plexus also occurred during erection in these patients. In all patients who received papaverine, the flow rates required to initiate and maintain erection decreased. The authors conclude that cavernosography and cavernometry are essential in the work-up of impotence and that papaverine may be helpful in elucidating the active mechanism of erection.