Search

Published literature shows low intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LIESWT) and low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) therapy to improve erectile function and penile hemodynamic by inducing neovascularisation and promoting tissue regeneration. Key opinion leaders across the Asia Pacific region attended the recent biennial meeting of the Asia Pacific Society for Sexual Medicine in Australia, and presented the current evidence on LIESWT and LIPUS for erectile dysfunction (ED). The clinical findings were internally discussed, and the quality of evidence was graded based on the Oxford Centre for Evidence- Based Medicine recommendations. Existing literature supports the use of LIESWT and LIPUS in men with ED, with many clinical studies reported encouraging results with improved erectile function, good safety profile and short-term durability. However, controversial exists due to sampling heterogeneity, non-standardised treatment protocol and lack of large multiinstitutional studies. There is a need to better define which subgroup of ED population is best-suited, and specific treatment protocol to optimise shock wave energy delivery. More stringent and larger multi-institutional randomised placebo-controlled trials are warranted before clinical adoption of LIESWT and LIPUS as the new standard of care for men with ED.

Published literature shows low intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LIESWT) and low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) therapy to improve erectile function and penile hemodynamic by inducing neovascularisation and promoting tissue regeneration. Key opinion leaders across the Asia Pacific region attended the recent biennial meeting of the Asia Pacific Society for Sexual Medicine in Australia, and presented the current evidence on LIESWT and LIPUS for erectile dysfunction (ED). The clinical findings were internally discussed, and the quality of evidence was graded based on the Oxford Centre for EvidenceBased Medicine recommendations. Existing literature supports the use of LIESWT and LIPUS in men with ED, with many clinical studies reported encouraging results with improved erectile function, good safety profile and short-term durability. However, controversial exists due to sampling heterogeneity, non-standardised treatment protocol and lack of large multiinstitutional studies. There is a need to better define which subgroup of ED population is best-suited, and specific treatment protocol to optimise shock wave energy delivery. More stringent and larger multi-institutional randomised placebo-controlled trials are warranted before clinical adoption of LIESWT and LIPUS as the new standard of care for men with ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Current treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED) mostly attempts to improve erectile function with limited impact on altering the underlying pathophysiology of ED. Recent animal experiments have supported the notion that low intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (LIESWT) significantly improves penile hemodynamics and might induce structural changes that regenerate penile tissue. Areas covered: This review article provides an overview of the basic mechanics and clinical studies pertaining to LIESWT and its use in the field of ED. We identify several key aspects of LIESWT and compare contemporary LIESWT machines and their clinical outcomes. Expert commentary: There is emerging and strong literature to support the use of LIESWT in men with ED, with many clinical studies reported encouraging results in the use of LIESWT with improved erectile function, good safety records, and short-term durability. However, there is a need to define which subgroup of ED population is best suited and the LIESWT treatment protocol including LIESWT template, modality of shock waves energy, emission frequency, and total energy delivery. More stringent randomised controlled trials are warranted before there is widespread acceptance of this LIESWT technology as the standard of care in ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]