A new approach to the pharmacologic treatment of impotence

A new approach to the use of topical medications to induce penile erections is suggested. Many impotent patients treat erectile dysfunction with injected vasoactive drugs like papaverine, phentolamine and PGE-1. However, many patients fear using needles and the possible side effects from injections are well known (pain, ecchymosis, priapism, fibrosis of corpora cavernosa). In six patients with erectile impotence who sought an alternative to pharmacologic injection therapy, a 1 cm square window was created in Buck's fascia and tunica albuginea and covered with a piece of the deep dorsal vein of the penis. The penile skin overlying the window was marked with India ink and vasoactive medication was applied to this area. The goal of this procedure was to enable the topical erection-inducing medication to pass through the skin of the penis, through the window and into the corpus. All of the patients experienced a satisfactory erectile response after application of nitroglycerin cream as documented by penile Doppler ultrasound evaluation. Two of the six patients currently use only the nitroglycerin cream to induce erections satisfactory for sexual intercourse. Three patients alternate the use of the cream and injections. One patient prefers injection. This procedure may offer a desirable alternative to injection therapy for selected patients with impotence.