Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (LI-ESWT) for Erectile Dysfunction in Patients Post-prostatectomy: A...

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Sexual Health

Background:

• Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common complication post-radical prostatectomy, impacting quality of life.
• Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LI-ESWT) is a non-invasive option for ED, promoting tissue regeneration and neovascularization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the safety and efficacy of LI-ESWT for treating ED in men following prostatectomy.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review following PRISMA guidelines.
• Literature search of PubMed, PMC, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Scopus (Jan 2015 - July 2025).
• Included RCTs and cohort studies assessing LI-ESWT for post-prostatectomy ED using IIEF-5 and EHS scores.

Main Results:

• Ten studies (5 RCTs, 5 cohort) with 760 patients were included.
• LI-ESWT demonstrated significant erectile function improvement, particularly with PDE5 inhibitors.
• No serious adverse events were reported; moderate evidence for efficacy, high for safety.

Conclusions:

• LI-ESWT is a safe and potentially effective treatment for post-prostatectomy ED, especially when initiated early and combined with PDE5 inhibitors.
• Need for larger, high-quality RCTs with standardized protocols to confirm long-term benefits due to study heterogeneity.