[Duplex-color sonography in the evaluation of erectile dysfunction of vascular origin]

The authors review the penile ultrasound records of 47 patients referred from the Urology Service with a diagnosis of Erectile Dysfunction. The pear systolic and and diastolic pressures were measured every 5 minutes for 30 minutes after the intracavernous injection of 60 mg of Papaverine, as well as the diameter of the cavernous arteries before and after the injection which was made using a 25 gauge needle. A tourniquet was applied at the base of the penis while injecting and was kept in place for 2 minutes after the injection was completed. The results were normal in 16 (34.04%) and abnormal in 31 (65.95%) patients. Of these, 27 (87.1%) had an abnormal vascular response and in 4 (12.9%) it was of an undetermined type. The abnormal vascular response was due to arterial insufficiency in 12 (44%) and to venous insufficiency in 15 (56%). The authors also found that the diameter of the cavernous arteries increased 15% to 120% (-/+ = 68%) in the patients with normal studies, 17% to 100% (-/+ = 58.1%) in those with arterial insufficiency and 23% to 89% (-/+ = 52.3%) in those with signs of venous insufficiency.