Erectile function before and after aorto-iliac reconstruction: a comparison between measurements of Doppler acceleration ratio, blood pressure and angiography.

The penile circulation was assessed in 20 males submitted to aorto-iliac reconstructive surgery by preoperative angiography and Doppler measurement of penile acceleration ratio (PAR) and penile blood pressure pre- and postoperatively. Ten patients had erectile dysfunction preoperatively. Four of them regained erections after operation and a 5th patient got values indicating the same. One patient lost his erectile capacity due to resection of a wide collateral whereas another had his erections impaired but not lost by the operation. As a diagnostic tool the PAR method was better than the systolic penile blood pressure which was prone to under-diagnosis. We recommend the registration of both in patients with erectile dysfunction or occlusive arterial disease.