The role of the urologist in the management of female sexual dysfunctions.
OBJECTIVE
The present minireview is aimed at investigating the association between female sexual dysfunction and urinary incontinence or lower urinary tract symptoms, two of the most frequently encountered urological disorders.


RESULTS
Sexual dysfunction in women is a multifactorial and multidimensional condition combining several biological, psychological, medical, interpersonal and social components. According to the National Health and Social Life Survey, approximately 43% of American women suffer from sexual disorders. There have been few investigations about the prevalence and predictors of female sexual function or sexual dysfunction across Europe. Based on everyday clinical practice and according to the most recent peer-reviewed publications, there is a critical correlation between urogynaecological conditions and women's sexual disorders. Interestingly, an increasing number of papers have raised the issue of women's sexual function in patients who have undergone urogynaecological radical pelvic surgery for urological malignancies. The role of the urologist in treating the couple covers the third part of this paper, and attempts to show the significant correlation between the presence of any female sexual dysfunction and so-called patient-partner satisfaction.


CONCLUSIONS
This minireview underlines the significant role of the urologist in the management of female sexual dysfunctions, mainly in women with urogynaecological disorders. Evaluation by the patient's partner and its impact on urological patients has also been stressed.
Salonia
Andrea
A
Department of Urology, University Vita, Salute San Raffaele, Scientific Institute H. San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy. salonia.andrea@hsr.it
Zanni
Giuseppe
G
Briganti
Alberto
A
Fabbri
Fabio
F
Rigatti
Patrizio
P
Montorsi
Francesco
F
D015653:Cystectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014522:Urethral Diseases / Q000150:complications; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000150:complications; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000150:complications; D014565:Urogenital Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D014572:Urology