pelviperineology. 2016; 35(4): 109-112 | DOI:

Male sexual dysfunction after surgery for rectal cancer

ANNAMARIA PRONIO¹, SILVIA PIROLI¹, BERNARDO CIAMBERLANO¹, ANNARITA VESTRI², CHIARA MONTESANI^1
1Department of Surgery and Organ Transplant “Paride Stefanini”, ²Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases

Introduction: Sexual dysfunction is a quite frequent complication of surgery for rectal cancer mostly related to the intraoperative autonomic nerves injury. Aim: To investigate sexual dysfunctions after surgery for rectal cancer comparing two different surgical techniques. Methods: 85 male patients who had undergone surgery for rectal cancer were divided into two groups: group A (1995-1999), rectal excision associated to preaortic and caval lymphadenectomy and group B (2000-2011), mesorectal excision (TME) with careful autonomic nerve preservation. All patients were surveyed regarding their postsurgical sexual function and results were compared in the two groups. Results: The erectile dysfunction was reduced from 10% in group A to 5% in group B. The ejaculation dysfunction was 10% in group A and almost 0 in group B; coupled ejaculation and erection disorder was 10% in group A and 15% in B. The local recurrence rate was similar in the two series of patients (5.8% vs 5%). Conclusions: Analysis of our data shows that in rectal cancer surgery, a technique particularly focused to nerve preservation has reduced the percentage of isolated disorders of the ejaculation that are related to a lesion of the hypogastric plexus during the lymphadenectomy. Nonetheless in 15% of the patients coupled disorders of ejaculation and erection remain as unavoidable because related to a lesion of the pelvic plexus due to oncologic radicality in presence of locally advanced tumors.

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Cite This Article

PRONIO A, PIROLI S, CIAMBERLANO B, VESTRI A, MONTESANI C. Male sexual dysfunction after surgery for rectal cancer. 2016; 35(4): 109-112

Corresponding Author: PRONIO A.

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