Using the streptozotocin treated rat as a model for diabetes, we showed that smooth muscle and endothelial cell density is significantly decreased in diabetic corpora cavernosa but not in normal aged rats. This observation is a further step toward the understanding of the pathomechanisms for diabetic related erectile dysfunction.

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of cardiovascular complications in hypertensive patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). An anonymous questionnaire was mailed to 467 and received from 104 hypertensive male patients. Despite the low response rate of 22%, the following interesting findings could be observed: 70.6% of the patients who responded suffered from ED. The hypertensive patients with ED had significantly higher prevalence of cardiovascular complications (P < 0.05). The correlation between depression and low quality of life as well as between ED and low sexual satisfaction was also statistically significant (P ¼ 0.05). ED in hypertensive patients can be considered as a marker for cardiovascular complications in this patient group.

Using the streptozotocin treated rat as a model for diabetes, we showed that smooth muscle and endothelial cell density is significantly decreased in diabetic corpora cavernosa but not in normal aged rats. This observation is a further step toward the understanding of the pathomechanisms for diabetic related erectile dysfunction.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the oncological outcomes and complications of prostate cancer patients with prostate specific antigen (PSA) < 10 ng=ml after radical prostatectomy by retropubic, perineal and laparoscopic approach. From 1988 to 2001, 306 patients with PSA < 10 ng=ml underwent radical prostatectomy by the retropubic, perineal or laparoscopic approach. Mean operative time, complication rates, length of hospital stay, catheterization time and pathological results were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate the likelihood of biochemical PSA recurrence. There were no statistical differences between the three groups in terms of preoperative characteristics except for PSA levels (5.5, 6.5 and 6.6 ng=ml for the retropubic, perineal, and laparoscopic approach, respectively, P < 0.05) and for the T1c stage prevalence (50%, 43.1% and 68.4%, P < 0.05). Operating time was significatively longer in the laparoscopic approach (266 min), whereas transfusion rate (22.1%), bladder catetherization (12.1 days), and length of hospital stay (12.1 days) were higher in the retropubic group (P < 0.05). The percentage of medical and surgical complications were 6.9%, 3.1% and 3.4% (P < 0.05) and 18.6%, 16.9% and 11.6% (P < 0.05) for the retropubic, perineal, and laparoscopic approach, respectively. Pathological staging revealed pT2 in 76.7%, 78.4% and 81.3% for retropubic, perineal and laparoscopic approach, respectively (P < 0.05). Positive surgical positive margins were noted in 20.9%, 18.4% and 20.6% (P > 0.05). The actuarial 3-year recurrencefree survival rate was 89.3%, 89.2% and 86.2% (P > 0.05) for retropubic, perineal and laparoscopic approach, respectively. It can be concluded that in patients with preoperative PSA < 10 ng=ml, clinical outcome and complication rates were similar, regardless of the choice of surgical approach.