Penile Revascularization Surgery
Also known as microvascular arterial bypass surgery for impotence
Penile revascularization surgery is similar to a cardiac bypass, but in the penis. It is for healthy men less than 50 years old with no evidence of a venous leak upon testing. The most common causes of erectile dysfunction which can be treated by penile revascularization are blunt trauma to the perineum or bike riding.
This procedure is highly specialized and requires extensive training in microvascular surgery as well as special equipment in the OR. Physicians at the Center for Sexual Medicine have performed more than 700 revascularization procedures over the last 20 years.
Most ideal candidates are young men with a history of perineal or pelvic trauma in whom arteriography reveals a localized common penile artery lesion.
Those with generalized vascular pathology are poor candidates for this operation as the same disease will likely affect the revascularized segment in the years following surgery.
Revascdularization is achieved by microsurgical anastomosis of the inferior epigastric artery to the dorsal penile artery.
The donor artery is carefully dissected from its origin at the femoral artery to a more distal point near the umblicus where it is transected.
The cut artery is then brought through the inguinal ring into the scrotum for microvascular anastomosis to the right or left dorsal artery.
Adherence to strict patient selection criteria will yield excellent longterm patency and patient satisfaction results.
