The pattern of discoordination diagnosed by electromyography after injection with papaverine may explain some aspects of VOD and highlights the importance of performing electromyography of the corpus cavernosum in the diagnostic evaluation of VOD.

No abstract

We determined arterial venous and sinusoidal factors in 20 patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and erectile dysfunction by performing dynamic infusion cavernosometry (DIC), colour flow Doppler ultrasonography, penile biothesiometry and corpus cavernosum electromyography (CCE). DIC, colour flow Doppler ultrasonography and penile biothesiometry were done in standard fashion except for CCE. Paradoxical increase in the electrical activity of corpus cavernosum after intracavernous (IC) papaverine was called a discoordination that was due to cavernous smooth muscle contraction instead of relaxation. Arterial and accompanying pathologies were found in 10 (50%) patients. In 3 (15%) of them pure arterial pathology, in 6 (30%) patients arterial and veno-occlusive dysfunction (VOD) and in one patient arterial pathology with abnormal biothesiometry were found. VOD and accompanying pathologies were found in 12 (60%) patients. In 6 (30%) of them VOD and arterial, in 4 (20%) patients VOD and discoordination and in 2 (10%) patients VOD and abnormal biothesiometric values were present. A higher frequency and coexistence of VOD and discoordination pattern were observed. In conclusion, patients with diabetic impotence show a wide range pathophysiology of erection and the evaluation of these patients must include multistep techniques.

Electromyographic changes were more prominent with nitroprusside than with papaverine, which demonstrates the use of nitroprusside when performing corpus cavernosum electromyography.

Double J (DJ) stents serve as a therapeutic option to relieve obstruction. However, incrustation can be an important cause of dysfunction of these stents. We investigated the relationship between incrustation of DJ stents and indwelling time using a grading system for luminal occlusion. The medical records of 42 patients with urolithiasis related to DJ stent incrustation were retrospectively reviewed. All polyurethane DJ stents were examined for severity of incrustation with a grading system based on the occlusion of stent lumen. For the level of grades 3 groups of patients were compared: group 1 included 14 patients whose stents were removed a month after insertion; group 2 included 16 patients whose stents were removed 45 days after insertion; group 3 included 12 patients whose stents were removed 3 months after insertion. The incrustation of 42 DJ stents was graded from 1 to 3 depending on the occlusion of the DJ stent. Mean age of patients was 39.6±6.71 years and median indwelling time was 50 days. The groups were similar regarding age, sex, and side of DJ stent. In comparison, the grade of incrustation in group 3 was higher than the grades in group 1 and group 2 (p=0.001). Incrustation is one of the most important complications of DJ stents, and was related to indwelling time. Therefore, close follow-up and frequent DJ stent changes are very important in patients with urolithiasis.