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.