Long-term efficacy of penile rehabilitation with low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy for sexual and erectile function recovery following robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy: a single-cohort pilot study

BACKGROUND: The long-term efficacy of low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LIESWT) for penile rehabilitation after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) has not yet been reported. AIM: To assess the long-term efficacy of LIESWT for penile rehabilitation after RARP by evaluating the postoperative recovery of sexual and erectile functions following RARP. METHODS: Patients who underwent RARP at our institution were categorized into 2 groups: those who received LIESWT and those who underwent penile rehabilitation with a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5i). The control group included patients who did not undergo penile rehabilitation. Potency and scores on the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite for sexual function and 5-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) were evaluated preoperatively and over 60 months after RARP. OUTCOMES: The LIESWT group had significantly higher postoperative sexual function and total IIEF-5 scores and potency than the control group over the long term, and its results were not inferior to those of the PDE5i group. RESULTS: The LIESWT, PDE5i, and control groups comprised 16, 13, and 139 patients, respectively. As compared with the control group, the LIESWT group had significantly higher sexual function scores at 6, 12, and 60 months after surgery (P < .05) and total IIEF-5 scores at 24 and 60 months (P < .05). The LIESWT group also had a significantly higher potency rate than the control group at 60 months (P < .05). For all time points after surgery, there were no significant differences between the LIESWT and PDE5i groups in terms of sexual function and total IIEF-5 scores and potency. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: LIESWT may be a new option for penile rehabilitation in patients with erectile dysfunction after RARP. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This pilot study was performed at a single center and involved relatively few patients, which may have led to selection bias. Furthermore, the selection of this study for penile rehabilitation was not made randomly but by the patient’s choice. Despite these limitations, our results provide evidence in support of LIESWT for penile rehabilitation after RARP because this is the first study to assess the long-term efficacy of LIESWT. CONCLUSION: LIESWT can improve sexual and erectile functions in patients with erectile dysfunction after RARP, and its efficacy can be maintained over a long period after surgery.