Penile electromyography and its smooth muscle content: Interpretation of 25 impotent patients

Purpose: We studied the correlation of penile electromyography and the cavernous smooth muscle content in 25 impotent patients. Materials and Methods: After a complete hormonal and diagnostic evaluation, all patients underwent corpus cavernosum penile electromyography and a penile biopsy of the corpus cavernosum with the biopsy gun device. Cavernous tissue was analyzed using immunohistochemical stain actin anti-actin and computerized image analysis. Results: Of the patients 20 had normal and 5 had abnormal corpus cavernosum penile electromyography. Of the 20 patients with normal corpus cavernosum penile electromyography 12 (60%) showed a normal percentage of cavernous smooth muscle and 8 (40%) had abnormal muscle content. All patients with abnormal corpus cavernosum penile electromyography showed abnormally low cavernous smooth muscle fibers. Conclusions: Our study showed an overall low sensitivity between corpus cavernosum penile electromyography potential amplitude and cavernous smooth muscle content. However, a high specificity (100%) of corpus cavernosum penile electromyography in the diagnosis of abnormal low cavernous muscle content was observed. Further studies with a larger number of patients are needed to evaluate corpus cavernosum penile electromyography as a predictor of cavernous smooth muscle function.SCOPUS: ar.j