Erectile Dysfunction

Factors that contribute to an increased risk for developing erectile dysfunction include:

• Age over 50
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Cardiovascular disease
• Enlarged prostate
• History of prostate cancer
• History of abdominal surgery
• Psychological issues
• Smoking
• Medications
• Alcohol and drug use

Finding the cause of the ED will help your urologists determine the best treatment options. Diagnostic procedures for ED may include the following:

• Medical and sexual history
• Physical examination
• Psychosocial examination
• Laboratory tests: blood counts, urinalysis, lipid profile, testosterone levels
• Doppler ultrasound imaging

Non-Surgical Treatment for ED

• Oral medications known as phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5) relax muscle cells in the penis, producing a rigid erection.
• Vacuum erection device draws blood into the penis, causing an erection.
• Self-injection therapy uses a fine needle to encourage blood flow before intercourse.

Surgical Treatment for ED

• Penile implants or penile prostheses are devices that are surgically implanted completely within the body. They may be inflatable or non-inflatable devices. Penile implants produce an erection-like state that enables normal sexual intercourse. Michael O'Leary, MD, director of the Men’s Sexual Health Clinic, performs more than 50 penile prosthesis implants each year.
• Penile arterial revascularization: For men under 45 with no known risk factors for atherosclerosis, this procedure keeps blood flowing by rerouting it around a blocked or injured vessel.

Penile implants can also be used to treat patients who have a curved or bent penis, a condition known as Peyronie’s disease. In select cases, surgical straightening is an option.

Patients may also benefit from penile injections, a minimally invasive approach that has achieved positive results in clinical trials. Xiaflex^® was first approved for the treatment of Dupuytren’s contracture, a hand disease that affects the fingers. In 2013, the FDA approved Xiaflex^®; for Peyronie’s disease after it was shown to break down the buildup of collagen that causes penile curvature. BWH’s participation in the national clinical trial of Xiaflex^®; played an important part in getting this injection treatment approved as a viable option for patients with Peyronie’s disease.

Men can take charge of their overall medical and psychological health and adopt better lifestyle choices, a combination that may help improve sexual health.

You will receive a thorough diagnostic examination and receive clinically-proven treatment by a board-certified urologist who specializes in erectile dysfunction. Appointments are confidential and private.

Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital practices a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, routinely collaborating with colleagues in other medical specialties. If your urologist discovers that an underlying illness has contributed to your erectile dysfunction, you will be referred to an appropriate BWFH/BWH physician for an evaluation.

Go to Brigham and Women's online health library to learn more about urology diseases and tests.

If you're at Brigham and Women's Hospital, visit the Kessler Health Education Library in the Bretholtz Center for Patients and Families to access computers and knowledgeable staff.