[Retrograde venous occlusion--therapy of impotence of venous origin]

Retrograde occlusion of penile drainage veins can produce improvement in patients with impotence due to venous leaks. We performed 50 transfemoral and three transjugular procedures; 46 (86%) were technically successful. Clinical improvement was found in 24 out of the 46 procedures (52%). In 20 patients spontaneous intercourse became possible, in four this occurred after intracavernous injection of vaso-active substances. In eleven patients there was deterioration after one to twenty months; in seven this was treated by repeated venous occlusion. In 13 patients improvement has been maintained over a period of one to thirty months (average 10.5 months). There were no complications.