Systematic review compares cavernous sparing and dilation techniques in penile prosthesis surgery, indicating better results for the former.
Introduction Penile prosthesis implantation (PPI) is the definitive treatment for men with severe erectile dysfunction refractory to medical therapy. Conventional technique for caveronsal dilation at time of PPI often involves serial cavernosal dilation (CD), which may compromise residual erectile tissue and vascular integrity. In contrast, cavernous sparing (CS) aims to preserve cavernosal artery function, spontaneous penile tumescence, and penile girth. Objective This study systematically compared perioperative and postoperative outcomes between CS and CD technique at time of PPI. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. Randomized controlled trials and prospective studies comparing cavernous sparing (CS) versus caveronosal dilation (CD) techniques at time of PPI were included. Primary outcomes assessed were cavernosal artery preservation, residual tumescence, and postoperative penile girth. Secondary outcomes included complication rates and patient satisfaction. Results Four randomized studies involving 193 patients (97 CS, 96 CD) met inclusion criteria. The pooled analysis revealed that cavernosal artery preservation was significantly higher in the CS group (OR = 95.92 [24.33–377.70], P < 0.0001). Residual tumescence occurred in 86.6–89.13% of CS versus 6.6–15.2% in CD group) (P < 0.0001). Penile girth gains were consistently greater in the CS, with mean increases ranging from 0.55 to 1.81 cm. Critically, there was no statistically significant difference in postoperative complication rates, including infection, hematoma, crossover, or perforation, between the two techniques. Patient satisfaction was consistently reported to be higher in the CS groups. Conclusions Cavernous tissue-sparing techniques offer superior functional outcomes without increasing complication risk. Proper surgical approach for cavernosal dilation at time of PPI should be selectively tailored to corpora cavernosal anatomy including intra-corporal fibrosis severity and complexity. Disclosure No
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