title: Pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation for patients with lifelong premature ejaculation: a novel therapeutic approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Premature ejaculation is the most common male sexual disorder. The aim of the study was to evaluate the possible therapeutic role of pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation in patients affected by lifelong premature ejaculation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We treated 40 men with lifelong premature ejaculation, reporting, a baseline intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) ≤ 1 min, with 12-week pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the rehabilitation, mean IELTs were calculated to evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy. At the end of the treatment, 33 (82.5%) of the 40 patients gained control of their ejaculatory reflex, with a mean IELT of 146.2 s (range: 123.6-152.4 s). A total of 13 out of 33 (39%) patients were evaluated at 6 months follow up, and they maintained a significant IELT (112.6 s) compared with their initial IELT (mean 39.8 s).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results obtained in our subjects treated with pelvic floor rehabilitation are promising. This therapy represents an important cost reduction compared with the standard treatment (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Based on the present data, we propose pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation as a new, viable therapeutic option for the treatment of premature ejaculation.
authors.affiliation: Urology Unit, Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Corso della Repubblica 79, 04100 Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Pastore
authors.affiliation: Urology Unit, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy and URORESEARCH, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palleschi
authors.affiliation: Urology Unit, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fuschi
authors.affiliation: Urology Unit, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maggioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rago
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zucchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Costantini
authors.affiliation: Urology Unit, Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy and URORESEARCH, Latina, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carbone
keywords: biofeedback; electro-stimulation; intravaginal ejaculatory latency time; premature ejaculation