title: Erectile function following high-energy thick loop prostatectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of the high energy cutting current that is used in conjunction with the thick loop on erectile function in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) undergoing prostatectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy patients with BPH were included in this prospective study. All patients underwent transurethral vaporization resection of the prostate (TUVRP) using the "Wing" thick loop and 250-Watt cutting current. Potency questionnaire to define if the patient was fully potent, partially potent or impotent was obtained both pre operatively and 3 months post-TUVRP. Adequate preoperative counseling on the procedure and its outcome particularly in relation to sexual activity was given to all patients that were sexually active. Age of the patients, size of the prostate, resectate weight and operation time was recorded for correlation with erectile function post-TUVRP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients was 70.1 +/- 6.3 years, the mean prostate size was 53.9 +/- 31.1 grams. Thirty-two patients (46%) were either impotent or sexually inactive at presentation. Thirty men were fully potent and 8 patients presented with reduced potency. Only 2 patients (5.2%) developed impotence post-TUVRP, both were partially impotent at presentation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that the frequency of erectile dysfunction following TUVRP may be low. It seems that the higher energy use in TUVRP does not adversely affect potency possibly because of the cooling effect of the circulating blood in the neurovesical bundles and the use of irrigation fluids intraoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, and King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. rftalic@ksu.edu.sa
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Talic
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010410:Penile Erection; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000601:surgery*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D020728:Transurethral Resection of Prostate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*