OBJECTIVEIt is controversial whether unilateral interruption of the arteria iliaca interna distal end affects penile hemodynamics and erectile function. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate this influence by detecting the blood flow of the penile artery before and after renal transplantation.

METHODSThirty-three patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) received renal transplantation, the grafts revascularized by end-to-end anastomosis to the right internal iliac artery. Six months before and after the surgery, we obtained the IIEF scores of the patients, recorded their penile blood flow on color Doppler ultrasonography and the levels of serum creatinine, hemoglobin and serum cholesterol, and analyzed post-transplantation immunosuppressive medication.

RESULTSThe patients ranged in age from 21 to 55 years, of whom 36% had erectile dysfunction (ED) during MHD, and 33% after renal transplantation. A total of 67% of the renal transplant recipients (RTR) complained of unchanged and 15% deteriorated ED, while 18% admitted improved erectile function. The patients showed a significantly stronger sexual desire after the transplantation than before it (6.2 +/- 1.6 vs 8.9 +/- 0.9, P < 0.01). There was a significant decrease in peak systolic velocity (PSV) in the cavernous arteries after transplantation as compared with pre-transplantation (P < 0.01). Penile arterial blood flow insufficiency was found in none of the RTRs.

CONCLUSIONUnilateral interruption of the internal iliac artery decreases penile arterial blood flow, but not to such a degree as to result in ED. Unilateral interruption of the arteria iliaca interna distal end does not affect the erectile function of RTRs.