Histopathologically proven prevention of post-prostatectomy cavernosal fibrosis with sildenafil.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether a dose of 50 mg preserved the architecture of the corpora cavernosa biopsy in man.


METHODS
21 patients (54-70 years old) who underwent radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer were treated with sildenafil citrate (50 mg, 3 times a week for 2 months) soon after surgery. They underwent cavernous biopsy before surgery and after 2 months of sildenafil treatment. Biopsy tissues were fixed in formalin, stained with Masson's trichrome method, and evaluated with the Eureka Interface system with a per-area analysis, and elastic fibers were counted on 10-12 fields (x400) of five serial sections.


RESULTS
Two months after surgery the percent of connective tissue in cavernosa samples in all patients did not differ from that before surgery, being between 30 and 40% in the per-area analysis. Similarly, the elastic fiber count did not differ significantly before and after surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Sildenafil prevented the progression of fibrosis in prostatectomized patients. Its efficacy seems to result from an antiproliferative effect exerted on fibroblasts.
Iacono
Fabrizio
F
Dipartimento di Ginecologia e Ostetricia, Medicina della Riproduzione e Urologia, Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy. fiacon@tin.itu
Prezioso
Domenico
D
Somma
Pasquale
P
Chierchia
Stefania
S
Galasso
Raffaele
R
Micheli
Pietro
P
D000368:Aged; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010409:Penile Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010413:Penis / Q000473:pathology*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011687:Purines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate