[Microsurgical treatment of impotence of vascular origin]

Impotence of vascular origin may be due to a defect of the arterial blood supply, a cavernous venous leak or a combination of the two phenomena. Several microsurgical techniques have been proposed to restore physiological erectile function, without the use of intracavernous injections of vasoactive drugs or implantation of penile prostheses. We have used this type of surgery in motivated and selected patients for more than 15 years (72 patients treated, 57 patients evaluated after surgery). In patients with impotence of arterial origin, we perform a Michal II arterio-arterial revascularisation in the case of limited proximal or distal lesions with preservation of one of the two dorsal arteries, (13 patients) and arterialisation of the deep dorsal vein of the penis in the case of diffuse distal lesions (8 patients). 62% of positive results were obtained with both forms of revascularisation with a mean follow-up of 22 months. In patients with impotence of venous origin (11 patients), we perform arterialisation of the deep dorsal vein of the penis, with 92% of positive results with a mean follow-up of 12 months. In patients with impotence of arterial and venous origin (25 patients), we carry out a Michal II revascularisation and ligation of the dorsal vein or arterialisation of the dorsal vein achieves 64% and 58% of positive results with a mean follow-up of 12 months and 5 months, respectively. In the light of these results, the authors try to define the place of vascular microsurgery in the treatment of impotence.