[Anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome to carbamazepine]. / Anticonvulsiva-Hyper-sensitivitäts-Syndrom auf Carbamazepin.

In a 39-year-old woman an anticonvulsant therapy was initiated because of focal attacks in the left arm and face. The patient experienced generalized maculopapular skin rashes in response to each of four chemically similar anticonvulsant drugs: phenytoin, carbamazepine, primidone and clonazepam. During administration of carbamazepine the clinical features included fever, hepatitis and hematological eosinophilia in addition to the skin rash (anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome). The anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome is defined as an idiosyncratic reaction caused by disturbed drug metabolism. Positive lymphocyte-transformation tests with carbamazepine and phenytoin indicate an immunological mechanism underlying the rashes in our patient. Patch testing with the four anticonvulsant drugs gave positive results only with carbamazepine. Skin biopsy showed the histological features of a delayed-type allergy. The anticonvulsant therapy was continued with a chemically unrelated preparation, valproic acid; this drug is well tolerated and has proved appropriate for prevention of seizures.

[Long-term results of corpus cavernosum auto-injection therapy in treatment of patients with chronic erectile dysfunction]. / Langzeitergebnisse der Schwellkörperautoinjektionstherapie bei der Behandlung von Patienten mit chronisch erektiler Dysfunktion.

From May 1985 to July 1989, 143 patients suffering from chronic erectile dysfunction (21-70 years old) underwent constant corpus cavernosum auto-injection therapy (CCAT) with papaverine alone (1257 injections) or with a standardized papaverine-phentolamine mixture (11035 injections). On the basis of these 12,292 protocol auto-injections and over 4 years' experience with intracavernosal auto-injection therapy we conclude: CCAT, especially with the papaverine-phentolamine mixture, constitutes an effective therapy (full rigidity in 95.9%) with tolerable side-effects for chronic erectile dysfunction when preceded by careful patient selection and thorough multidisciplinary evaluation, especially in the case of arterial and/or neurogenic aetiology of the erectile dysfunction; in addition, the contraindications must be strictly observed, the treatment and technique fully explained, and a regular system instituted. CCAT is generally well accepted by the patients and their partners (100%/98.3%) and has distinct positive effects on self-esteem (77.8%), performance anxiety (84.4%) and partnership (79.5%). The most serious side-effect was prolonged erection (25 out of 12,292 injections). In 3 patients reversible fibrotic changes near the tunica albuginea were observed.

[Results of multidisciplinary assessment of patients with erectile dysfunction]. / Ergebnisse nach multidisziplinärer Abklärung bei Patienten mit erektiler Dysfunktion.

A total of 326 patients with chronic erectile dysfunction were investigated by a multidisciplinary approach. It was found that several causes combined (multifactorial genesis) in 77.1%. Organic causes alone were found quite frequently, viz. in 43.6%, while primarily psychogenic causes alone were found in only 5.5%; in contrast, combined organic and psychogenic causes were found in 46.0%. There were pathologic organic findings in 89.6%: vascular in 74.5% (arterial 64.1%, cavernous/venous 30.4%), neurogenic in 42.0%; side effects of drugs in (10.1%); endocrine (7.7%) and local penile causes (4.3%) are not so important in erectile dysfunction. Treatment suited to the pathogenesis was instituted (psychotherapy, vein ligation, self-injection of vasoactive drugs into the corpus cavernosum).

Multidisciplinary evaluation in erectile dysfunction after radical prostatectomy.

Radical prostatectomy is associated with a postoperative impotence rate of 90%, a sequel that is the least acceptable to the patient. The use of the nerve-sparing procedure according to Walsh (1) with 70% restoration of sexual power postoperatively is limited considering the prevalence of periprostatic tumour invasion. A method is described which satisfies the demand for both a radical surgical procedure and postoperative restoration of sexual power.

[Selective arteriography of the internal pudendal artery in posttraumatic erectile dysfunction]. / Selektive Arteriographie der A. pudenda interna bei posttraumatischer erektiler Dysfunktion.

102 patients with erectile dysfunction were evaluated by a multidisciplinary approach including measurement of the bulbocavernous reflex (BCR)-latency, cystometry, dynamic cavernosography and bilateral selective arteriography of the pudendal arteries. Seven patients had a posttraumatic source of their erectile failure. Three patients showed a mixed neurogenic-arteriogenic aetiology of erectile dysfunction, two patients had evidence of isolated arterial damage, one patient had a venous and one an isolated neurogenic cause of erectile dysfunction. The passage of pudendal-penile vessels and nerves through the urogenital diaphragm is the most vulnerable portion of its way through the pelvis. Ruptures of the prostatomembranous urethra are frequently accompanied by injury to the pudendal-penile vessels and nerves, thus causing erectile dysfunction.