[Treatment of erectile dysfunction caused by cavernous nerve injury: An update]

Abstract

With the development of prostate surgery and increasing number of patients with pelvic fracture urethral injury, ED caused by cavernous nerve injury (CNI) has attracted more and more medical attention. CNI induces the apoptosis of penile smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells, decreases the density of NOS-positive nerves, and results in the fibrosis of the cavernous smooth muscle. The strategies of nerve regeneration after CNI has been one of the hotspots in the studies of ED. This review focuses on the current treatment strategies to promote the cavernous nerve regeneration and status quo of basic and clinical researches on the treatment of CNI-induced ED. The treatment strategies discussed in this review involve neurotrophic factors, RhoA/ROCK inhibitors, immunophilic ligands, erythropoietin, stem cell therapy, gene therapy, platelet-rich plasma, and low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy, which are all new and suitable for clinical transformation.

Keywords: erectile dysfunction; cavernous nerve injury.