Erectile function evaluation in patients after urethroplasty: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background. The success of surgical treatment of urethral strictures is often assessed in terms of the quality of urination and the patency of the urethral lumen. Despite the fact that this assessment is carried out according to the above parameters, it seems important to take into account such a possible complication as erectile dysfunction, which can significantly impair the patient’s quality of life. This is the difference in the perception of the success of the surgical intervention by the clinician and the patient.Aim. To determine the relationship between urethroplasty and the likelihood of erectile dysfunction in the postoperative period according to world literature.Materials and methods. The PubMed database was analyzed using the keywords: anterior urethroplasty, posterior urethroplasty, urethroplasty, sexual dysfunction, erectile dysfunction. All articles were reviewed by two independent authors for inclusion based on predetermined criteria. Among the included scientific papers are randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews.Results. Sixteen scientific papers with a total of 1476 patients were included in the final study. The decrease in erectile function after surgery in this meta-analysis is 3 %. The main factors influencing postoperative parameters were age and erectile function at the time of surgery.Conclusion. Most studies state that urethroplasty does not imply a significant impact on erectile function, however, they acknowledge that the occurrence of this complication affects the assessment of treatment outcomes among patients and the further impact on their quality of life, regardless of postoperative urinary function.