Erectile hydraulics: maximizing inflow while minimizing outflow.

INTRODUCTION: Penile rigidity depends on maximizing inflow while minimizing outflow. AIM: The aim of this review is to describe the principal factors and mechanisms involved. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Erectile quality is the main outcome measure. METHODS: Data from the pertinent literature were examined to inform our conclusions. RESULTS: Nitric oxide (NO) is the principal factor increasing blood flow into the penis. Penile engorgement and the pelvic floor muscles maintain an adequate erection by impeding outflow of blood by exerting pressure on the penile veins from within and from outside of the penile tunica. Extrinsic pressure by the pelvic floor muscles further raises intracavernosal pressure above maximum inflow pressure to achieve full penile rigidity. Aging and poor lifestyle choices are associated with metabolic impediments to NO production. Aging is also associated with fewer smooth muscle cells and increased fibrosis within the corpora cavernosa, preventing adequate penile engorgement and pressure on the penile veins. Those same penile structural changes occur rapidly following the penile nerve injury that accompanies even "nerve-sparing" radical prostatectomy and are largely prevented in animal models by early chronic use of a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor. Pelvic floor muscles may also decrease in tone and bulk with age, and pelvic floor muscle exercises have been shown to improve erectile function to a similar degree compared with a PDE5 inhibitor in men with erectile dysfunction (ED). CONCLUSIONS: Because NO is critical for vascular health and ED is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease, maximal attention should be focused on measures known to increase vascular NO production, including the use of PDE5 inhibitors. Attention should also be paid to early, regular use of PDE5 inhibition to reduce the incidence of ED following penile nerve injury and to assuring normal function of the pelvic floor muscles. These approaches to maximizing erectile function are complementary rather than competitive, as they operate on entirely different aspects of erectile hydraulics.

Pelvic floor exercises after radical prostatectomy.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Treatment with radical prostatectomy may produce risk factors that commonly include urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Post-prostatectomy incontinence can be classified as either stress urinary incontinence, urge urinary incontinence or post-micturition dribble. Evidence has shown that these embarrassing conditions may be treated successfully with pre-operative and post-operative pelvic floor exercises, which include 'the knack', urge suppression, fluid advice and a post-void contraction for post-micturition dribble. New evidence suggests that men with erectile dysfunction may benefit from the same pelvic floor exercises.

The history of urologic surgery: from reeds to robotics.

Bladder function has interested man since prehistoric times. Evidence of health and well being was often measured from observation of urine. When urologic function was impaired, the extent of the ensuing pain often called for dramatic measures to obtain relief. The practice of urology has advanced substantially since the days when reeds were used to alleviate obstruction of the bladder. This article presents a brief historical overview of urology and the strides made in prostate surgery with modern technology.

Urinary incontinence in men after formal one-to-one pelvic-floor muscle training following radical prostatectomy or transurethral resection of the prostate (MAPS): two parallel randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence is common immediately after prostate surgery. Men are often advised to do pelvic-floor exercises, but evidence to support this is inconclusive. Our aim was to establish if formal one-to-one pelvic floor muscle training reduces incontinence. METHODS: We undertook two randomised trials in men in the UK who were incontinent 6 weeks after radical prostatectomy (trial 1) or transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP; trial 2) to compare four sessions with a therapist over 3 months with standard care and lifestyle advice only. Randomisation was by remote computer allocation. Our primary endpoints, collected via postal questionnaires, were participants' reports of urinary incontinence and incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) after 12 months. Group assignment was masked from outcome assessors, but this masking was not possible for participants or caregivers. We used intention-to-treat analyses to compare the primary outcome at 12 months. This study is registered, number ISRCTN87696430. FINDINGS: In the intervention group in trial 1, the rate of urinary incontinence at 12 months (148 [76%] of 196) was not significantly different from the control group (151 [77%] of 195; absolute risk difference [RD] -1·9%, 95% CI -10 to 6). In trial 2, the difference in the rate of urinary incontinence at 12 months (126 [65%] of 194) from the control group was not significant (125 [62%] of 203; RD 3·4%, 95% CI -6 to 13). Adjusting for minimisation factors or doing treatment-received analyses did not change these results in either trial. No adverse effects were reported. In both trials, the intervention resulted in higher mean costs per patient (£180 and £209 respectively) but we did not identify evidence of an economically important difference in QALYs (0·002 [95% CI -0·027 to 0·023] and -0·00003 [-0·026 to 0·026]). INTERPRETATION: In settings where information about pelvic-floor exercise is widely available, one-to-one conservative physical therapy for men who are incontinent after prostate surgery is unlikely to be effective or cost effective. The high rates of persisting incontinence after 12 months suggest a substantial unrecognised and unmet need for management in these men. FUNDING: National Institute of Health Research, Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) Programme.

Assessing muscle function of the male pelvic floor using real time ultrasound.

AIMS: Following surgical removal of the prostate, there may be compromise to the function of the pelvic floor muscles causing continence problems. Assessing the pelvic floor muscles of male patients can be an invasive process that causes discomfort, making it worthwhile to evaluate alternatives to the conventional method of Digital Rectal Examination (DRE). Real time ultrasound (RTUS) has been used with female patients as an alternative to internal assessments. This paper examines the reliability and validity of assessing the male pelvic floor using abdominal RTUS. METHODS: Twenty-eight men (mean age 66.2) with a history of treatment for prostate cancer were recruited to the study. They were assessed via DRE and RTUS. Findings from the procedures were correlated for evaluation of validity, and the RTUS readings were repeated by different therapists to assess reliability. RESULTS: Measurements on screen correlated moderately with DRE findings (r = 0.57, P = 0.002), and RTUS was found to have good reliability (Intra-class Correlation Coefficient = 0.90). Continent men had more movement of the bladder wall on RTUS than those who were incontinent (P = 0.043). Scar tissue and an inability to maintain a moderately full bladder were found to cause the most difficulty in getting a complete picture of pelvic floor movement. CONCLUSIONS: RTUS can be used clinically to examine male pelvic floor function, and its use would be enhanced once it has been established by DRE that a true pelvic floor contraction is occurring. RTUS can give an indication of pelvic floor function as an alternative measurement method when DRE is contraindicated.

Investigation of optimal cues to instruction for pelvic floor muscle contraction: a pilot study using 2D ultrasound imaging in pre-menopausal, nulliparous, continent women.

AIMS: Optimal urethrovesical positioning (UVP) may be important for continence. Pelvic floor muscle contraction (PFMC) influences UVP. PFMC instruction cues vary and often encourage anterior PFM recruitment that may result in sub-maximal posterior facilitation. STUDY HYPOTHESIS: posterior or combined cues are more influential in optimizing UVP during PFMC following a brief practice period than anterior cue. METHODS: Seventeen pre-menopausal, nulliparous, continent women were taught selective PFMC using different cues: anterior; posterior; anterior and posterior combined. Perineal ultrasound images of three PFMC for each cue were captured in supine and standing twice, 5 min apart. For reliability two raters measured data using angle of urethral inclination (AUI). Data analysis was undertaken using a customized General Linear Model ANOVA testing for interactions between all variables; subject, cue, posture, and test. Post hoc Bonferroni correction was used with a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: The ANOVA showed significant differences between variables (P = 0.000). Post hoc analysis indicated significant differences between posterior and anterior cues 4.240° (P = 0.003); combined and anterior 3.756° (P = 0.009) but not between posterior and combined cues -0.484° (P = 1.00). Mean difference in AUI between supine and standing was 9.496° (P = 0.000); however, the interaction of cues and postures was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: AUI was significantly more acute/optimal when PFMC instruction included a posterior cue. This may be due to optimal recruitment of puborectalis and other posterior regional muscles which may be sub-maximally recruited with anterior cue. Investigation of the potential impact of these findings and possible usefulness of standardized instructions in PFM training is required.

Developing a pelvic floor muscle training regimen for use in a trial intervention.

This paper explains the rationale behind the intervention used for a large multi-centred randomised controlled trial for men following transurethral resection of prostate or radical prostatectomy. It shows the content of the protocol used and explains why this particular protocol of pelvic floor muscle exercises and urge suppression techniques was chosen for men in the intervention group. The trial will evaluate whether this intervention will be effective for men with urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction after prostate surgery. ISRCTN number: ISRCTN87696430.

Perceptions of embarrassment for men with and without urinary incontinence.

There is little information available about the impact incontinence has on men. Using photographs, men were asked to rate the perceived embarrassment of the wearer. Embarrassment ratings rose with the size of the visible wet area, but were lower from those who had experienced the problem themselves. Knowing how to deal with the feelings of embarrassment seems to be critical when dealing with incontinent males.

Post-micturition dribble: aetiology and treatment.

Grace Dorey describes the symptom, prevalence and aetiology of post-micturition dribble in men and explores the literature in order to give guidance on assessment and treatment options.

A clinical overview of the treatment of post-prostatectomy incontinence.

This article discusses benign prostatic hyperplasia, which may be treated by a transurethral resection of prostate and prostate cancer which in turn may be treated by a radical prostatectomy. During both operations the bladder neck sphincter is damaged and continence relies on a competent external urethral sphincter. After surgery men may suffer from stress urinary incontinence, urge urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Men undergoing prostatectomy would benefit from pre- and post-prostatectomy pelvic floor exercises including advice on how and when to perform them. Pelvic floor exercises can significantly help men with urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Systematic review of the treatment of post-prostatectomy incontinence.

A systematic review was conducted to critically analyze the literature on pelvic floor muscle training, biofeedback, electrical stimulation, and behavioral therapy for managing post-prostatectomy incontinence. Currently, there is a need for further study to better identify the specific components that determine the efficacy of conservative measures in the treatment of male incontinence post surgery.

Restoring pelvic floor function in men: review of RCTs.

The male pelvic floor muscles support the abdominal contents, are active during breathing, maintain urinary and faecal continence, increase local blood supply and are active during sexual intercourse. It was hypothesized that weak pelvic floor muscles would compromise these functions in men and lead to urinary and faecal incontinence and sexual dysfunction and that pelvic floor muscle strengthening would restore normal function. After a literature search of randomized controlled trials was undertaken, it was found that weak pelvic floor muscles compromised normal pelvic floor function and led to urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles was shown to significantly improve post-prostatectomy urinary continence, post-micturition dribble and erectile function. It would be prudent for all men to exercise their pelvic floor muscles to maintain normal pelvic floor function.

Male pelvic floor: history and update.

Our understanding of the male pelvic floor has evolved over more than 2,000 years. Gradually medical science has sought to dispel ancient myths and untruths. The male pelvic floor has many diverse functions. Importantly, it helps to support the abdominal contents, maintains urinary and fecal continence, and plays a major role in gaining and maintaining penile erection. Weakness of the male pelvic floor muscles may cause urinary and fecal incontinence and erectile dysfunction. Function may be restored in each of these areas by a comprehensive pelvic floor muscle training program. Spasm of the pelvic floor muscles may produce pain and require relaxation techniques. Additional research is needed to add further evidence to our knowledge base.

Pelvic floor exercises for erectile dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of pelvic floor exercises as a way of restoring erectile function in men with erectile dysfunction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 55 men aged > 20 years who had experienced erectile dysfunction for > or = 6 months were recruited for a randomized controlled study with a cross-over arm. The men were treated with either pelvic floor muscle exercises (taught by a physiotherapist) with biofeedback and lifestyle changes (intervention group) or they were advised on lifestyle changes only (control group). Control patients who did not respond after 3 months were treated with the intervention. All men were given home exercises for a further 3 months. Outcomes were measured using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), anal pressure measurements and independent (blinded) assessments. RESULTS: After 3 months, the erectile function of men in the intervention group was significantly better than in the control group (P < 0.001). Control patients who were given the intervention also significantly improved 3 months later (P < 0.001). After 6 months, blind assessment showed that 40% of men had regained normal erectile function, 35.5% improved but 24.5% failed to improve. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that pelvic floor exercises should be considered as a first-line approach for men seeking long-term resolution of their erectile dysfunction.

Randomised controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for erectile dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: The pelvic floor muscles are active in normal erectile function. Therefore, it was hypothesised that weak pelvic floor muscles could be a cause of erectile dysfunction. AIMS: To compare the efficacy of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback with lifestyle changes for men with erectile dysfunction. DESIGN OF STUDY: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: The Somerset Nuffield Hospital, Taunton, United Kingdom. METHOD: Fifty-five men with erectile dysfunction (median age 59.2 years; range 22-78 years) were enrolled from a local urology clinic. Of these, 28 participants were randomised to an intervention group and engaged in pelvic floor exercises, as well as receiving biofeedback and suggestions for lifestyle changes. Twenty-seven controls were solely advised on lifestyle changes. Baseline, 3- and 6-month assessments were: erectile function domain of International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), Partner's International Index of Erectile Function (PIIEF), Erectile Dysfunction-Effect on Quality of Life (ED-EQoL), anal manometry, digital anal measurements, and clinical assessment by an assessor blind to treatment allocation. After 3 months, the control group were transferred to the active arm. RESULTS: At 3 months, compared with controls, men in the intervention group showed significant mean increases in the erectile function domain of the IIEF (6.74 points, P = 0.004); anal pressure (44.16 cmH(2)O, P <0.001); and digital anal grades (1.5 grades, P <0.001). All showed further improvement in these outcomes at 6 months. Similar benefits were seen in men of the control arm after transfer to active treatment. A total of 22 (40.0%) participants attained normal function, 19 (34.5%) participants had improved erectile function, and 14 (25.5%) participants failed to improve. CONCLUSION: Pelvic floor muscle exercises and biofeedback are an effective treatment for men with erectile dysfunction.

Pelvic floor exercises as a treatment for men with erectile dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction was defined by a National Institutes of Health conference in 1993 as 'the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance (for both partners)' (National Institutes of Health, 1993). The degree of erectile dysfunction may be graded according to the number of satisfactory attempts out of 10 (mild 7-8, moderate 4-6, and severe 0-3) (Albaugh and Lewis, 1999).

Pelvic floor exercises for treating post-micturition dribble in men with erectile dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this trial was to compare the efficacy of pelvic floor muscle exercises and manometric biofeedback for post-micturition dribble (PMD) in men with erectile dysfunction. METHODS: Fifty-five men with erectile dysfunction (median age 59.2 years; range 22-78) were enrolled from a local urology clinic. Twenty-eight subjects were randomized to an intervention group and received pelvic floor muscle exercises including a strong post-void "squeeze out" pelvic floor muscle contraction, biofeedback, and suggestions for lifestyle changes. Twenty-seven control subjects were solely advised on lifestyle changes. The PMD status, anal manometry, and digital anal muscle grade were assessed at baseline, 3, and 6 months. After 3 months, the control group received the intervention with pelvic floor muscle exercises and biofeedback. Both groups were followed for an additional 3 months of home exercises. An independent assessor who was blinded to the grouping assessed the PMD status of subjects at 3 and 6 months. RESULTS: Thirty-six (65.5%) of the 55 subjects reported PMD at baseline. At 3 months, there was significant reduction in PMD after intervention (p=0.001) compared to the control subjects (p=0.102). In both groups combined after 3 months of pelvic floor muscle exercises and 3 months of home exercises, 27 (75%) subjects became asymptomatic of PMD, 3 (8.3%) improved, 5 (13.9%) dropped out, and 1 (2.8%) subject still reported PMD. PMD was not correlated to age, erectile function, anal manometric pressure, or digital anal muscle grade. CONCLUSION: Pelvic floor muscle exercises including a post-void "squeeze out" pelvic floor muscle contraction are an effective treatment for post-micturition dribble in men with erectile dysfunction.

Test retest reliability of anal pressure measurements in men with erectile dysfunction.

A test-retest design was used to assess within-day and day-to-day reliability of anal manometric measurements in a group of men with erectile dysfunction. Results indicate that reliable measures of anal pressure are obtainable under clinical conditions.