title: Incidence of erectile dysfunction after open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
abstract: The aim of this study is to document the incidence of erectile dysfunction (ED) following open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair using a modified International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire (IIEF). An IIEF was mailed to 175 married male patients (mean age +/- SD: 71 +/- 8 years) who had an open AAA repair by one of four board-certified vascular surgeons between 1994 and 1998. The IIEFs were anonymous and asked patients to recall their sexual function before and 3 months after repair. ED was defined in patients with IIEF scores <11 (range 1-30). The overall response rate was 39% (68/175). A comparison of the IIEF results showed that 67/68 patients reported worsening erectile function (p < 0.00001); one respondent reported improved erectile function. On the basis of the IIEF scores, 20/68 patients (29%) were found to have ED and 48/68 patients (71%) had normal function prior to repair. Of the 48 patients with normal function prior to surgery, 83% (40/48) had ED after surgery. ED rates were similar between tube grafts 82% (23/28) and bifurcated grafts 85% (17/20) p = ns. The ED rate after open AAA repair is alarmingly high and prospective follow-up with IIEF will be necessary to better assess true ED rates after conventional open AAA repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kor
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kuskowski
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Santilli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications