The Experimental Study On The Clinical Efficacy Of Extracorporeal Linear Low-intensity Shock Wave Therapy In The Treatment Of Patients With Erectile Dysfunction

Extracorporeal low-intensity shock wave(LIST)therapy is a novel and promising modality in the treatment of erectile dysfunction(ED).At present,the main treatment methods for erectile dysfunction include lifestyle changes,oral medications,vacuum-assisted erectile devices,intracavernosal injections,intraurethral suppositories and surgically implanted prosthetic devices.All of these treatments generally only improve the symptoms of erectile dysfunction without altering the Basic pathophysiology of erectile mechanism,so most do not improve spontaneous erectile function.However,unlike other current treatment options for erectile dysfunction,the goal of low-intensity shock wave therapy may be to restore the erectile mechanism in order to enable natural or spontaneous erection.Although clinical studies have shown that extracorporeal low-intensity shock wave therapy have a certain effect on the treatment of patients with erectile dysfunction.However,the effective data of extracorporeal low-intensity shock wave therapy for patients with erectile dysfunction in clinical studies is not consistent.Then it is very necessary to further perfect the effectiveness of extracorporeal low-intensity shock wave therapy in patients with erectile dysfunction,which can provide further basis for the clinical application of low-intensity shock wave therapy.Objective: To study the clinical efficacy of extracorporeal linear low-intensity shock wave therapy in patients with erectile dysfunction.Methods: This is a prospective study of the effectiveness of clinical treatment in patients with erectile dysfunction.This study consisted of a screening phase,a treatment phase,and a 6-month follow-up phase.During the screening phase,we screened 42 male patients with erectile dysfunction who underwent detailed medical history,sexological history evaluation,physical examinations and laboratory tests.Treatment stage: Patients underwent one weekly treatment sessions.During each treatment session,the extracorporeal low-intensity shock wave therapy was applied to the four different anatomical sites of the left and right corpus cavernosum and the left and right crus penis(5000 shocks,0.09 mJ / mm 2 intensity).Erectile function was assessed with IIEF-EF(International index of erectile function-erectile function domain),EHS(Erection hardness score),SEP(SEP-Questions 2 and 3)and GAQ(Global Assessment Question)at one and six months after treatment.Results: Clinically we found that participants had a significant increase in the International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function domain score from baseline to follow-up.The mean IIEF-EF score of the participants increased from 14.63 ± 3.5 points(baseline)to 20.8 ± 5.44(P < 0.01)points at 1-month follow-up.At the 6-month follow-up,their IIEF-EF score was 20.09 ± 5.47 points(P < 0.01).According to the changes of the main efficacy observation index(IIEF-EF score),the effective rate of extracorporeal low intensity shock wave treatment at 6 months of follow-up was 62.9%.Moreover,the patient's duration of erection and penile rigidity increased significantly after treatment.Twenty-two men in the study were unable to achieve adequate erections hard(erectile stiffness score of 2 or lower)before treatment and who were able to achieving sufficient erection hardness(erectile stiffness score of 3 or higher)after treatment.Patients who answered “yes” to the SEP and GAQ questions in the study increased significantly after treatment.No pain was reported from the treatment and none of the men experienced discomfort or reported any adverse effects from the treatment.Conclusions: This study evaluated the clinical efficacy of extracorporeal linear low-intensity shock wave therapy in patients with erectile dysfunction.The study showed an improvement in erectile function at 1 month and 6 months after treatment and no significant adverse events occurred.The affirmation of therapeutic efficacy,coupled with the feasibility and tolerability of this treatment,makes it an attractive new therapeutic option for men with erectile dysfunction.In conclusion,extracorporeal linear low?intensity shock wave therapy is an effective physical therapy for erectile dysfunction,and its short-term results are promising,yet demand further evaluation with larger randomized controlled trials and longer follow-up.