Female sexual dysfunction after pelvic surgery: is there a place for nerve-sparing surgery?
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Yoram Vardi.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
OBJECTIVE: Many patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) stop using sildenafil due to subjective failure. This study examined whether counseling and maximal dosing (100 mg) could achieve better treatment compliance and could possibly improve treatment outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients were recruited by newspaper advertisements and referred to 5 ED centers throughout the country. Details about their previous experiences with sildenafil were recorded and following an explicit explanation about the nature and action of the drug, were offered to enter the study. Instructions on drug use were provided during each visit in which four 100 mg Sildenafil tablets were provided. Treatment outcomes were assessed by the international index of erectile function (IIEF) questionnaire after taking 4 and 8 tablets. In 2 ED centers a short video with sexual counseling content was added in between visits. RESULTS: The study cohort was comprised of 220 patients aged 27-88 years. The majority reported having received limited or no instructions on drug use when sildenafil was first prescribed. A significant increase in IIEF erectile function domain scores (EFDS) between visits 1, 2 and 3 was observed (10.96+/-0.40, 16.73+/-0.51 and 17.82+/-0.55 mean+/-SE, respectively), with 23.6% of the study patients achieving normal erectile function at the end of the study. The parameters of age and initial severity of ED most influenced treatment success. CONCLUSIONS: Counseling and dose adjustment were directly influential in achieving an excellent response to a second trial of sildenafil in patients with ED who had previously failed treatment with the drug, and obviated their needing to seek more invasive measures.
The introduction of new oral therapies has completely changed the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to erectile dysfunction. A panel of experts in this field has developed guidelines for the clinical evaluation and treatment based on the review of available scientific information.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
PURPOSE: Despite all of the modern, sophisticated tests that exist for diagnosing and assessing male and female sexual disorders, to our knowledge there is no objective psychophysiological test to evaluate sexual arousal and interest. We provide preliminary data showing a decrease in auditory P300 wave amplitude during exposure to sexually explicit video clips and a significant correlation between the auditory P300 amplitude decrease and self-reported scores of sexual arousal and interest in the clips. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 healthy subjects were exposed to several blocks of auditory stimuli administered using an oddball paradigm. Baseline auditory P300 amplitudes were obtained and auditory stimuli were then delivered while viewing visual clips with 3 types of content, including sport, scenery and sex. RESULTS: Auditory P300 amplitude significantly decreased during viewing clips of all contents. Viewing sexual content clips caused a maximal decrease in P300 amplitude (p <0.0001). In addition, a high correlation was found between the amplitude decrease and scores on the sexual arousal questionnaire regarding the viewed clips (r = 0.61, p <0.001). In addition, the P300 amplitude decrease was significantly related to the sexual interest score (r = 0.37, p = 0.042) but not to interest in clips of nonsexual content. CONCLUSIONS: The change in auditory P300 amplitude during exposure to visual stimuli with sexual context seems to be an objective measure of subject sexual interest. This method might be applied to assess therapeutic intervention and as a diagnostic tool for assessing disorders of impaired libido or psychogenic sexual dysfunction.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate vaginal and clitoral sensation before and after hysterectomy and to assess pre- and post-surgery changes in sexual function. STUDY DESIGN: Quantitative sensory thresholds for warm, cold, and vibratory sensations were measured at the vagina and clitoris 1 day prior to and 3 months following surgery. A survey was performed 18 months following operation to evaluate long-term changes in sexual function. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-seven women, aged 30-57 years, who were admitted for elective hysterectomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Genital sensation and reported sexual function. RESULTS: There was significant deterioration in sensation to cold and warm stimuli at the anterior and posterior vaginal wall after surgery. Vaginal vibratory sensation thresholds tended to increase. Clitoral thermal and vibratory sensation thresholds remained unchanged before and after surgery. Of the 22 patients who participated in the follow-up survey, 17 did not report any decline in sexual function, while 4 patients reported deterioration in genital sensation and in sexual function. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate quantifiable sensory loss in the vagina after hysterectomy, with preservation of clitoral sensation. Only a minority of patients reported a decline in their sexual function. These findings highlight the relative importance of clitoral as compared to vaginal sensation in sexual function.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
PURPOSE: Penile endothelial function (EnF) is 1 of the major factors involved in the pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction. EnF assessment could offer crucial information on the etiology and degree of severity of cavernosal vascular pathology. In the present study we propose a new technique for the evaluation of penile EnF and test its applicability using strain gauge plethysmography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 23 healthy subjects (13 younger and 10 older than 40 years) with no history of erectile dysfunction were studied. The flow mediated dilation technique was applied to the arm and penis in both age groups for the assessment of EnF. Baseline blood flow and the sequential flow recordings after rapid cessation of 5 minutes of ischemia were obtained in both organs. RESULTS: Baseline flow in the penis was significantly higher (approximately 3-fold) than that in the forearm and was not affected by age in either organ. Both measures of penile EnF, ie area under the flow-time curve (AUC) and maximal flow obtained after ischemia were significantly lower in the older group compared to the younger group (p <0.01 and p <0.02, respectively). Individual penile AUC and maximal flow were significantly correlated with age (r = 0.55, p <0.01 and r = 0.50, p <0.02, respectively). Finally a positive, significant correlation existed between penile and forearm AUC (p <0.05, r = 0.48). CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of the flow mediated dilation technique using mercury strain gauge plethysmography is simple and applicable for the assessment of penile EnF. Endothelial function parameters in the penis were found to correlate with those in the forearm, thus support for the validity of the technique is given. Further strength for the validity of this procedure in the penis comes from the comparison between the forearm and penis, and the relation to subject age.
INTRODUCTION: Data concerning the biologic pathophysiology of desire, arousal, and orgasm in women are limited. AIM: To gain knowledge of biologic pathophysiology of female sexual function. METHODS. To provide state-of-the-art knowledge concerning female sexual dysfunction, representing the opinions of seven experts from five countries developed in a consensus process over a 2-year period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: An International Consultation in alliance with key urological and sexual medicine societies convened over 200 multidisciplinary specialists from 60 countries into 17 consultation committees. The aims, goals and intentions of each committee were defined. Expert opinion was based on grading of evidence-based medical literature, extensive internal committee dialogue, open presentation, and debate. RESULTS: Three critical physiologic requirements, including intact sex steroids, autonomic/somatic nerves, and arterial inflow/perfusion pressure to women's genital organs play fundamental roles in maintaining women's sexual function. Despite this, there are nominal data supporting a direct pathophysiologic involvement of abnormal sex steroid values, and/or damage/injury to neurologic and/or blood flow integrity in women with problems in sexual desire, arousal, and/or orgasm. This summary details the available literature concerning hormonal, neurologic, and vascular organic pathophysiologies of women's sexual dysfunctions. CONCLUSIONS: Additional research on clinical pathophysiologies in women's sexual dysfunction is needed. This chapter encompasses data presented at the 2nd International Consultation on Sexual Medicine in Paris, France, June 28-July 1, 2003.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (VVS) is a common cause of dyspareunia in pre-menopausal women. Previous quantitative sensory test (QST) studies have demonstrated reduced vestibular pain thresholds in these patients. Here we try to find whether QST findings correlate to disease severity. Thirty-five vestibulitis patients, 17 with moderate and 18 with severe disorder, were compared to 22 age matched control women. Tactile and pain thresholds for mechanical pressure and thermal pain were measured at the posterior fourcette. Magnitude estimation of supra-threshold painful stimuli were obtained for mechanical and thermal stimuli, the latter were of tonic and phasic types. Pain thresholds were lower and supra-threshold magnitude estimations were higher in VVS patients, in agreement with disease severity. Cut-off points were defined for results of each test, discriminating between moderate VVS, severe VVS and healthy controls, and allowing calculation of sensitivity and specificity of the various tests. Our findings show that the best discriminative test was mechanical pain threshold obtained by a simple custom made 'spring pressure device'. This test had the highest kappa value (0.82), predicting correctly 88% of all VVS cases and 100% of the severe VVS cases. Supra-threshold pain magnitude estimation for tonic heat stimulation also had a high kappa value (0.73) predicting correctly 82% overall with a 100% correct diagnosis of the control group. QST techniques, both threshold and supra-threshold measurements, seem to be capable of discriminating level of severity of this clinical pain syndrome.
INTRODUCTION: Data concerning the physiology of desire, arousal, and orgasm in women are limited because of ethical constraints. Aim. To gain knowledge of physiology of female sexual function through animal models. METHODS: To provide state-of-the-art knowledge concerning female sexual function in animal models, representing the opinions of seven experts from five countries developed in a consensus process over a 2-year period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Expert opinion was based on the grading of evidence-based medical literature, widespread internal committee discussion, public presentation, and debate. RESULTS: Sexual desire may be considered as the presence of desire for, and fantasy about, sexual activity. Desire in animals can be inferred from certain appetitive behaviors that occur during copulation and from certain unconditioned copulatory measures. Proceptive behaviors are dependent in part on estrogen, progesterone, and drugs that bind to D1 dopamine receptors, adrenergic receptors, oxytocin receptors, opioid receptors, or gamma-amino butyric acid receptors. Peripheral arousal states are dependent on regulation of genital smooth muscle tone. Multiple neurotransmitters/mediators are involved including adrenergic, and nonadrenergic, noncholinergic agents such as vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, nitric oxide, neuropeptide Y, calcitonin gene-related peptide, and substance P. Sex steroid hormones, estrogens and androgens, are critical for structure and function of genital tissues including modulation of genital blood flow, lubrication, neurotransmitter function, smooth muscle contractility, mucification, and sex steroid receptor expression in genital tissues. Orgasm may be investigated by urethrogenital (UG) reflex, in which genital stimulation results in rhythmic contractions of striated perineal muscles and contractions of vagina, anus, and uterine smooth muscle. The UG reflex is generated by a multisegmental spinal pattern generator involving the coordination of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and somatic efferents innervating the genital organs. Serotonin and dopamine may modulate UG reflex activity. CONCLUSIONS: More research is needed in animal models in the physiology of female sexual function.
BACKGROUND: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is frequently observed in male cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients, creating concern about cardiac risk of their sexual activity, and their therapeutic use of sildenafil. Relatively little information exists about sildenafil effects on exercise testing, hemodynamic parameters or on occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias during normal activities in CVD patients. HYPOTHESIS: Single, oral doses of sildenafil do not significantly affect exercise-induced changes in hemodynamic parameters or occurrence of arrhythmias in ED/CVD patients. METHODS: ED patients, with or without CVD, were enrolled in one of two studies. In the first, patients underwent standard (Bruce Protocol) treadmill tests; an initial control test was followed 1 hour later by administration of 100mg oral sildenafil. After another hour, they underwent a second treadmill test. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), heart rate, and double product were determined for each evaluation at pretest, maximum stress, and recovery. In the second, Holter ambulatory ECGs were recorded 5 hours before and 6 hours after 100mg oral sildenafil administration. RESULTS: Sildenafil had no clinically significant effects on exercise-induced changes in hemodynamic parameters in cardiac patients and only slight, clinically insignificant effects in noncardiac patients. ECG showed sildenafil did not affect incidence of ventricular arrhythmias. CONCLUSIONS: Sildenafil does not alter hemodynamic response to exercise or change incidence of ventricular arrhythmias in men with CVD and ED. These results suggest that, when used in accordance with prescribing information and current treatment guidelines, sildenafil should be safe for most patients with both these conditions.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the occurrence of clinically significant decreases in blood pressure (BP) with sildenafil use in normotensive and hypertensive men by means of ambulatory BP monitoring. METHODS: On 2 nights, 49 men (22 hypertensive, 27 normotensive) had their ambulatory systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and heart rate monitored during the first 3 hours (waking period) and every 30 minutes after midnight for 3 additional hours (sleeping period). No medication was taken on one night; sildenafil 100 mg was taken on the other. RESULTS: Sildenafil decreased SBP (-6.0 mm Hg; P = 0.0003), DBP (-4.5 mm Hg; P = 0.001), and mean arterial pressure (-5.3 mm Hg; P = 0.00008). The BP-lowering effects of sildenafil did not differ significantly in the normotensive and hypertensive men. Age significantly affected the BP reductions; decreases in SBP, DBP, and mean arterial pressure were greater in men 49 years old and older than in those younger than 49 years old. According to readings averaged over the entire control and treatment periods, 22.7% of hypertensive men and 3.7% of normotensive men experienced SBP reductions of 20 mm Hg or greater (P = 0.08 for comparison of the two groups); the respective values for DBP were 9.1% and 3.7% (P not significant). These reductions were not associated with any hypotensive symptoms. All participants tolerated sildenafil well. CONCLUSIONS: Sildenafil caused small, clinically insignificant reductions in ambulatory BP in active and resting normotensive and hypertensive men. The results of this study suggest that, when used in accordance with the prescribing information and current treatment guidelines, sildenafil should be safe in younger and older men with or without hypertension.
The introduction of new oral therapies has completely changed the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to erectile dysfunction. A panel of experts in this field have developed guidelines for clinical evaluation and treatment based on the review of available scientific information.