Faculty Bibliography

Erectile dysfunction (ED) in a young man is an important health problem that significantly impacts the patient's quality of life and can have a detrimental effect on his well-being and relationship with his partner. Erectile dysfunction or impotence is one of the few disorders that will bring a young man into the doctor's office. This review article focuses on the epidemiology, etiology, presentation, work-up, and treatment of young men (age ~20-40 years old) presenting with complaints of ED. It is important to identify the precise etiology of the ED before proceeding with further evaluation and treatment because the work-up can be invasive and costly. ED is estimated to affect 20 % of men above 40 years of age, with the incidence increasing with increasing age. Erectile dysfunction has traditionally been seen as an age-dependent problem; however, approximately 2 % of men are affected at 40 years of age but this may be a gross underestimation secondary to reporting bias. Because ED is traditionally seen in the aging male population, studies regarding ED tend to be more frequently carried out among middle-aged and elderly men rather than in young men. These studies underline how comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular or neurological pathologies, and medication use are strongly linked with ED. In addition, ED has been described to be associated with obesity or physical inactivity. This review article summarizes the important information that all sexual medicine providers should be familiar with when diagnosing, counseling, and treating young men with erectile dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION: The development of a penile hydrocele following the placement of an inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) for erectile dysfunction has never been documented. We herein report an unusual complication of penile hydrocele formation that developed following placement of an IPP for erectile dysfunction. METHODS: The penile hydrocele was successfully repaired by excision of the hydrocele sac. RESULTS: Successful surgical repair of a penile hydrocele was accomplished following placement of an IPP without removal of any implant components. The penile implant was functional at the end of the procedure as well as at all scheduled follow-up appointments. CONCLUSIONS: With advances in both surgical techniques and improved devise technology, high volume penile implanters encounter fewer IPP-related complications such as infectious or mechanical complications. We herein report for the first time a rare complication of penile hydrocele development after IPP placement that was treated successfully with surgical excision of the hydrocele sac. Urologists who perform these types of procedures should be aware of this unusual complication and know that it is curable with prompt diagnosis and meticulous surgical repair.