CLINICAL STUDIES

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Laser light - a new, non-invasive treatment for Erectile Dysfunction: a placebo-controlled, single blinded pilot study
Y. Yacobi M.D., A. Sidi M.D. Department of Urologic Surgery, The Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel Background: In vitro and animal studies have shown that the application of laser light may induce vasorelaxation, which is the event that produces penile erection. The hypothesis was that application of laser light to the vascular bed of the penis might restore erectile function. Purpose: To prove this hypothesis, a specifically designed device, emitting laser light, was externally applied to the penis of patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). This study has been conducted to prove the efficacy and safety of laser therapy for the treatment of ED. Material and Methods: 44 volunteers were randomly assigned to treatment with placebo or 808 nm GaAlAs laser light. 39 patients completed all treatments and follow up visit: 18 patients in the treatment group (A) and 21 in the placebo group (B). The treatments were delivered for 19 minutes, twice a week, total of 6 treatment sessions. The laser unit has 2 rows of 5 treatment points each and the unit is applied on the dorsal aspect of the penis, every row corresponds to the corpus cavernosum of the penis. Treatment is given for 20 minutes, twice a week, 6-8 times. Power of each diode is 150 mW. Questions 3 and 4, as well as the Erectile Function Domain from the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) assessed the improvement in ED. Results: The baseline median values for questions 3 and 4 were identical in both groups - 2.0. In group B the median remained 2.0 after the treatment for question 3 and 4 while in group A it increased by 1.5 to 3.5 (for question 3 - p=0.0536; for question 4 - p=0.03). Median Erectile Function domain score (question 1-5 and 15) was 14 in group B and decreased to 12. In group A baseline score was 13 and it increased to 20.5 after treatment (p=0.02). Many patients in the treatment group reported occurrence of morning erections. Improvements were usually reported after the 4th or 5th treatment sessions. There were no adverse effects as a result of the treatment. Discussion and Conclusion: The treatment performed by the laser parameters used in this study has showed improvement in ED. The improvement duration in average was of 6 month. Further

studies are needed for optimization of treating parameters: wavelength, dose and sessions.

PRESS RELEASE

Laser irradiation of penile blood as treatment of sexual dysfunctions

Author(s) KOULTCHAVENIA Ekaterina V. ; KHOMYAKOV Victor T. ; Abstract 40-60% of the men of average age suffer from the violations of sexual functions. Impotence doesn't make direct threat to life; nevertheless this disease essentially reduces quality of life, and consequently deserves the most steadfast attention. There are many methods of treatment of erectile dysfunction. However they are connected with a reception of medicines, which is expensive and has a number of contra-indications, or with invasive procedures, or with surgical intervention, that also not always is desirable. We have developed the original device permitting to cause passive erection by creation of a local decompression. The second stage is the effect by an infra - red laser radiation (denseness of a potency 4,2 mWt/sm2, continuous radiation with length of a wave 0,89 microns, exposition 5 minutes) on erection glans penis. We observed 24 patients with the complaints on insufficient erection (18), premature ejaculation (6); 2 patients in addition presented the complaint on small sizes of the penis. Age of the patients was 24 - 46 years, on the average - 34,3 years. This treatment was repeated once per day for 15 days After treatment spontaneous erections were recovered in all patients; at 22 (91,7%) adequate erections have appeared, sufficient for normal coitus; the time of coitus have increased in 6 patients. 2 patients because of unsuccessfulness of carried out therapy were underwent the implantation of special prosthesis. Patients with micropenia through 2 months have received a repeated rate of treatment, therefore length of the penis in a quiet condition at one was increased from 4 up to 4,5 cm (on 12,5%), at other - from 3 up to 4 cm (on 33,3%). Any complications or side reactions was not marked. We consider a laser irradiation of penile blood a perspective method of male impotence therapy. Revue / Journal Title Progress in biomedical optics and imaging ISSN 1605-7422 Source / Source 2001, vol. 2, no1, pp. 350-352 [3 page(s) (article)]

Langue / Language Anglais Editeur / Publisher Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers, Belligham, ETATS-UNIS (2001) (Revue) Mots-cls d'auteur / Author Keywords genital system ; sexual dysfunction ; treatment ; laser therapy ; Localisation / Location INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 21760 S, 35400012517505.0450