Often times, vascular reconstructive surgery can be used to improve the blood supply to the penis, and help alleviate erectile dysfunction. The procedure is technically difficult and can often be costly, so it is not often performed, although it is an alternative to medication or other methods of solving erectile dysfunction problems.
During vascular reconstructive surgery, an artery from the abdominal muscles is often transferred to the penile artery. This allows for a path of blood flow to the penis that bypasses the area of blockage that was previously inhibiting the blood flow to the penis, causing erectile dysfunction. This surgery only works in a small instance of men, and is most often performed on young men who are experiencing erectile dysfunction because of trauma to the penis and surrounding areas.
Long term results of vascular reconstructive surgery as treatment for erectile dysfunction have not been promising, as only approximately 20 percent of men see improvement in their erectile function. There is a higher rate of success with younger men suffering from a single damaged blood vessel as a result of genital injury, though, at 50-75%.
Venous ligation surgery can also be used to help solve issues of ED. Vein ligation is used to remove a damaged vein and prevent complications of vein damage. In this surgery, one or more incisions are made in order to tie off the damaged vein. This approach allows the surgeon to blog off veins that are causing a lack of blood flow to the penis. Much like vascular reconstructive surgery, the success rate of venous ligation is under 50 percent, causing many people to choose other options.
If alternative options have not worked for you and you are considering a form of erectile dysfunction surgery, contact Philadelphia Urology today to learn which option may be right for you.
