Radiology, Vol 161, 799-802, Copyright © 1986 by Radiological Society of North America
Cavernosography in conjunction with artificial erection for evaluation of venous leakage in impotent men
CM Malhotra, A Balko, JP Wincze, S Bansal and JG Susset
Twenty men with incomplete penile erection or inability to maintain an
erection were evaluated to determine if venous leakage was a cause.
Cavernosography was performed in conjunction with artificial erection
induced by infusion of saline into the corpus cavernosa. Thirteen patients
requiring higher than normal rates of saline infusion to achieve or
maintain erection showed filling of superficial veins in the flaccid state
as well as during erection. In five of the seven patients with normal
saline requirements there was no filling of superficial veins, and two
showed filling in the flaccid state only. Of the thirteen patients whose
conditions were diagnosed as venous leakage, seven underwent surgical
ligation of superficial veins and deep penile vein arterialization by a
saphenous vein bypass graft between the superficial femoral artery and deep
penile vein. All these patients had reduced saline requirements
postoperatively. When cavernosography is performed in the flaccid state
only, filling of superficial veins can occur normally; therefore, these
studies should be performed with artificial erection.
