DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Erectile impotence or disturbances are much more common than usually expected. 2-4% of all men before the 4th decade suffer from impotence. Between their 5th and 6th decade approximately 10-20% suffer from impotence and beyond the 7th decade more than 50%. A large number of different causes is responsible for this disease. Causes are endocrine diseases, side effects of different drugs, local haemodynamic penile disturbances, psychogenic of behaviour changes and neurological diseases as well as arterial and venous problems of the corpora cavernosa. Subtile diagnostic procedures demonstrated that approximately 80% of the erectile impotence are caused by an organic disease and that only 20% are of primary psychogenic origin. Thus, the diagnosis of the cause of impotence is the first important step. In case of endocrine disturbances treatment with testosterone will be helpful, in case of hyperprolactinaemia treatment with bromocriptine or lisurid. In case of nervous or vascular disorders the intracavernous SKAT-therapy will be helpful, often supported by psychotherapeutic measures.