title: Erectile dysfunction as a complication after treatment of prostate cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment of localized prostate cancer refers to two basic modes which are the radical retro pubic prostatectomy and external radiotherapy. However, according to most authors, radical prostatectomy is the gold standard for long-term survival.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the occurrence of erectile dysfunction after radical operative treatment and irradiation therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this paper we have examined the occurrence of erectile dysfunction after conducted treatment for localized prostate cancer. In this paper we have examined 84 of 138 patients who underwent radical retro pubic prostatectomy at the Urology Clinic in the period from January 2009 to December 2010 and 26 patients who underwent radical external radiotherapy in the same period, because of localized prostate cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of surgical patients was 65 years, the youngest patient was 49 years and the oldest 81 years. From the 84 patients which underwent surgery, neurovascular preservation of nerve bundles was done in 36 (42.8%) patients from which bilateral in 28 patients (77.7%) and unilateral in 8 patients (22.2%). Average age of patients who underwent irradiation therapy was 68 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Erectile dysfunction occurs in greater proportion after radical retro pubic prostatectomy compared to radiation treatment, and the preservation of both neurovascular bundles reduces this difference.
authors.affiliation: Urology Clinic, Clinical Center of Sarajevo University, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Dzelaludin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Junuzovic
authors.forename: Munira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasanbegovic
authors.forename: Dzenan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Omerbegovic
keywords: erectile dysfunction; prostate cancer; radical treatment.