Relationship between cavernosal ischemia and corporal veno-occlusive dysfunction in an animal model.
OBJECTIVE
It has been postulated that cavernosal tissue ischemia secondary to arterial occlusive disease is associated with corporal veno-occlusive dysfunction. The goal was to correlate, for the first time, direct local intracavernosal blood flow measurements as a measure of cavernosal tissue perfusion with the integrity of corporal veno-occlusion in an animal model of vasculogenic impotence.


METHODS
The New Zealand White rabbit model of vasculogenic impotence was utilized (7 control, 9 atherosclerotic). After 16 weeks, intracavernosal blood flow was recorded directly by laser Doppler flowmetry. The relationships among peak intracavernosal blood flow, equilibrium intracavernosal pressure and corporal veno-occlusive function (as determined by intracavernosal pressure decay) were examined.


RESULTS
Significant differences in the atherosclerotic compared to control animals were noted in iliac artery blood flow (12 +/- 4 vs 31 +/- 7 ml./min.), peak intracavernosal blood flow during erection (16 +/- 7 vs 25 +/- 4 ml./min./100 gm. tissue), equilibrium intracavernosal pressure (48 +/- 11 vs 72 +/- 6 mm. Hg) and intracavernosal pressure decay (57 +/- 17 vs 36 +/- 8 mm. Hg). Peak intracavernosal blood flow during erection was found significantly related to both equilibrium pressure (r = 0.75) and cavernosal pressure decay (r = -0.8).


CONCLUSIONS
Abnormal intracavernosal blood flow (cavernosal ischemia) secondary to arterial occlusive disease predicts abnormal veno-occlusive function and poor erection quality.
Azadzoi
K M
KM
Department of Urology, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts, USA.
Park
K
K
Andry
C
C
Goldstein
I
I
Siroky
M B
MB
D000818:Animals; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018783:Impotence, Vasculogenic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007511:Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology; D010413:Penis / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011817:Rabbits; D012039:Regional Blood Flow