The following is a summary of “Two Year Functional Outcomes Stratified According to Baseline Erectile Function Following Partial Gland Cryo-Ablation,” published in the JANUARY 2023 issue of Urology by Wysock, et al.

For a study, researchers sought to assess the sexual function outcomes over time following primary partial gland cryo-ablation (PGCA) and stratify the results based on baseline erectile function. 

All men who underwent primary PGCA with the assistance of two surgeons between March 2017 and March 2022 were added to an outcomes registry that has received IRB approval. Those who had a PIRADS 2-5 lesion in addition to unilateral GGG 1-3 illness, no gross extra-prostatic extension on mpMRI, GGG >1 contralateral to the ROI, or mpMRI distal apical disease were all included in the study. At baseline, six, and 24 months after the start of treatment, patients completed the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) scale. Baseline erectile function was used to group men. Males having a SHIM Score of 8 were not included. A score of 3 or higher on question 2 of the SHIM index was deemed to indicate “potency” (also known as “ability to sustain erection”).

The results showed a significant decrease in mean SHIM scores for the entire cohort between baseline to 6 months and baseline to 24 months. However, SHIM scores increased significantly for the cohort between 6 and 24 months. In addition, the proportion of men reporting “potency” was preserved at 70% at 24 months. The study also revealed that those patients most likely to experience a decrease in sexual function have moderate erectile dysfunction (ED) at baseline. Additionally, only baseline ED was found to predict the preservation of “potency,” as clinical factors were not associated with the loss of “potency” at 24 months.

In conclusion, the study demonstrated that sexual function outcomes following PGCA were time-dependent, with initial decreases in SHIM scores followed by improvement. Patients with moderate ED at baseline were more likely to experience a decline in sexual function. Baseline ED was also the only significant predictor of preservation of “potency” following PGCA.

Reference: goldjournal.net/article/S0090-4295(22)00882-2/fulltext