Medical & Surgical Urology
Open Access
ISSN: 2168-9857
ISSN: 2168-9857
Mireia Las Heras Alonso
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Med Surg Urol
Penile extracorporeal low-intensity shock wave therapy (LIST) to thepenis has recently emerged as a novel and promising modality in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). LIST has angiogenic properties and stimulates neovascularization. If applied to the corpora cavernosa, LIST can improve penile blood flow and endothelial function. In a series of clinical trials, including randomized double-blind sham-controlled studies, LIST has been shown to have a substantial effect on penile hemodynamics and erectile function in patients with vasculogenic ED. LIST is effective in patients who are responsive to phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5i) and can also convert PDE5i non-responders to responders. The response to LIST wanes gradually over time, and after 2 years, about half of the patients manintain their function. Extensive research is needed to understand the effect of LIST on erectile tissue, to modify the treatment protocol to maximize its outcomes, and to identify the patients who will benefit the most from this treatment.
Mireia Las Heras is an urologist, and did her andrology training in the Fundación Puigvert (Barcelona) in 2005. She obtained his Doctorate degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona in 2010, and developed the Fellow of European Board of Sexology in Amsterdan in 2012. She currently works at the Hospital Universitario de Getafe (Madrid), where she developed her work as andrologist and conducting research.