Delineating patient errors in an intracavernosal injection program.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Andrology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Intracavernosal injection therapy (ICI) is a standard treatment for erectile dysfunction.
• Patient errors during self-administration are a common source of complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze patient errors in a structured ICI training program.
• To identify predictors of major errors in ICI self-administration.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of records for 1368 men using ICI for ≥6 months.
• Multivariable analysis to determine factors associated with major errors.
• Errors categorized as minor (e.g., bruising) or major (e.g., self-titration, double injection).

Main Results:

• 42% of patients experienced at least one error; 12% committed major errors.
• Common errors included penile bruising (34%) and expired medication use (18%).
• Major error predictors: younger age, graduate-level education, and <12 months of ICI use.

Conclusions:

• Most ICI errors are minor and do not pose significant risks.
• Targeted training for younger, highly educated, and less experienced patients can mitigate major errors.
• Identifying risk factors allows for personalized patient education to improve ICI safety and efficacy.