Single potential analysis of cavernous electrical activity (SPACE). Experiences, limitations and perspectives.

Cavernous electromyography was first introduced by Wagner and Gerstenberg in 1989. The authors developed a refined method of cavernous electromyography by means of single potential analysis in introduced this method into clinical Urology as a diagnostic procedure for the evaluation of patients presenting with erectile dysfunction. To date, our experience with single potential analysis of cavernous electrical activity (SPACE) includes more than 500 patients with erectile dysfunction of various etiologies and 92 normal control subjects. Several technical modifications and refinements have been adopted during the last 4 years. In normal control subjects, SPACE shows a regular pattern of activity with long phases of electrical silence at the usual amplification interrupted by synchronous low frequency, high amplitude potentials. In patients with disruption of the peripheral autonomic supply, typical asynchronous potentials with higher frequencies and irregular shape are observed. In complete spinal cord lesions, abnormal as well as normal electrical activity is found. In patients with a long history of insulin-dependent diabetes and presumably cavernous smooth muscle degeneration, SPACE recordings show irregular potentials with low amplitudes and slow depolarization speed. Synchronization of electrical activity is usually absent. Recent studies on patients with venous leakage show that SPACE provides independent clinical information about the cavernous smooth musculature. The recording of cavernous electrical activity is possible and reproductible. In the future, a new software for one-line date processing, storage and interpretation of SPACE signals will be available.