title: Diagnosing erectile dysfunction: instruments for the study of smooth muscle relaxation.
abstract: Complete cavernosal smooth muscle relaxation is the pre-requisite for the reliability of every evaluation of the integrity of the corporal veno-occlusive system. Such evaluation is needed whenever reaching a diagnostic conclusion on the haemodynamic status of a given patient is clinically relevant. Clinical challenges that a laboratory evaluation of veno-occlusive integrity face comprise both the induction of complete smooth muscle relaxation, and the possibility to monitor it. This article will review the relevant aspects of normal range values of veno-occlusive function, existing strategies aimed to promote complete smooth muscle relaxation, and available techniques to monitor the cavernosal smooth muscle status.
authors.affiliation: Hesperia Hospital, Servizio di Andrologia, Modena, Italy. pescatoriedoardo@libero.it
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Pescatori
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morgia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pirozzi-Farina
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Farina
mesh_terms: D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000502:physiology*; D009129:Muscle Tonus / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology*; D010208:Papaverine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010410:Penile Erection; D010646:Phentolamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D010208:Papaverine; D010646:Phentolamine