HomeHealth articleserectile dysfunctionHow Is Erectile Dysfunction Due to Venous Leak Treated?

Erectile Dysfunction Due to Venous Leak - Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Verified dataVerified data
15

4 min read

Share

Many men suffer from erectile dysfunction that occurs due to various factors, such as a venous leak. To know more, read the article below.

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Raveendran S R

Published At September 9, 2022
Reviewed AtDecember 4, 2023

What Is Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a male sexual dysfunction. The inability to get and keep an erection that is firm enough to have sex is known as erectile dysfunction. It may occur from time to time, but it might be a cause for concern when it is an ongoing issue. ED may result in relationship problems, lack of self-confidence, and stress, which may also be a sign of any underlying health condition.

What Is a Venous Leak of the Penis?

The venous leak occurs when a person does not have strong erections, even with sufficient blood flow to the penis. Nowadays, men silently experience erectile dysfunction, and if you find sustaining erections, the potential cause might be struggling with a venous leak.

What Are the Causes of a Venous Leak?

Even with sufficient blood supply to the male sex organ, they might have erectile dysfunction due to a venous leak. It occurs from too much venous leak in the penis corpora cavernosa. For a successful erection, the penis should hold sufficient blood flow and restrict venous outflow through compression of veins. This is known as venous occlusion, and if a person experiences this disease, then he might have an erection, but it cannot be rigid for longer foreplay. Men suffering from this disease have shame for themselves and suffer from having happier sexual relations.

What Are the Symptoms of a Venous Leak?

Men can know the possibility of contracting the penis; in that case, get early treatment as this is a treatable condition. The following are some of the symptoms of a venous leak.

  • The vascular disease affecting the blood vessels causes men not to hold an erection. However, there might be erections in some cases, but they might not last long.

  • Nerve disorders.

  • Cancer patients receiving radiation therapy or under medication for cancer treatment have a chance to contract the penis or may have erectile dysfunction due to venous leaks.

  • Diabetic people will have a poor blood supply due to increased blood sugar levels, causing them not to hold the penis for an erection.

  • Peyronie's disease.

  • A person suffering from an anxiety attack will have an imbalanced blood flow. Blood should consistently flow into the penis to hold the erection so anxiety may lose the grip to outperform.

How Is Venous Leak Diagnosed?

It has been said that most men rest in silence and only come up to doctors when they can no longer sustain a sexual erection. Overall health is related to erectile dysfunction, and certain conditions such as vascular disease, diabetes, and nerve disorders have a high chance of having a venous leak. When a person is suffering from erectile dysfunction and has any of the conditions mentioned above, it is mostly a venous leak. In addition, a venous leak can be diagnosed in the following conventional ways, and these are certified methods that healthcare professionals use to check this condition.

  • Dynamic Infusion Cavernosometry (DIC) - At a predefined rate and pressure, fluid is pumped into the male sex organs to measure the vascular pressure in the corpus cavernosum when the penis erects. A vasodilator determines the infusion rate to achieve a stiff erection and the severity of the venous leak. In addition, to detect any leakage, a contrast material is injected into the sex organs and then viewed under an x-ray.

  • Doppler Ultrasound - A Doppler ultrasound will help assess the blood flow within the arteries by reflecting high-frequency sound waves in the circulating red blood cells (RBC). The normal ultrasound takes pictures by sound waves, but the blood flow will not appear. In some cases, a penile color doppler procedure would misdiagnose a venous leak. Thus, it is important to ensure before giving a doppler ultrasound to young men with no history of decreased blood flow because failure to achieve an erection will not always be a venous leak. Furthermore, Cavernosometry continues to play a role and is more precise in detecting venous leakage.

How Is Venous Leakage Treated?

Venous leak is a treatable condition, and an early diagnosis and treatment have helped men with erectile dysfunction. There are many methods to help this condition and restore the functional ability of the penis in persons suffering from a venous leak. They are

1) Oral Erectile Dysfunction Treatments:

Certain oral medications such as Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis have been approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for treating erectile dysfunction. They work by relaxing the smooth muscle to produce an erection. However, this medication is less effective in men with severe venous leaks.

2) Self-Injections:

If oral medicines do not work, penile injections are used for erectile dysfunction. It would be unpleasant if anything is injected into the penis, but many men will stick to the injections due to their effectiveness and simplicity. Urologists will use a combination of medicines such as Papaverine, Edex, Phentolamine, Caverject, and Alprostadil, and most injections consist of a mixture of two or three medicines. This is known as a trimix solution which enables three medicines to work synergistically to avoid adverse effects. The trimix solution has a reaction rate of up to 90%; only less than 1% of men fail to have an erection. However, such good medicine with a reaction rate of 90% has a drawback of adequate training from the physician to use it as a home injectable treatment because such injections should be given with correct quantities and suitable techniques to avoid scarring the penis or priapism.

3) Urethral Suppositories:

Medicated urethral system for erection (MUSE) is used only when oral tablets fail to give an erection. A small suppository is put into the penile urethra, which aids in an erection and its maintenance. Only one suppository can be used each day, and it is to be stored in the refrigerator. In the United States, about 43% of men benefited from urethral suppositories who had impotence due to various causes. However, it has been said that urethral suppositories cause substantial long-term penile pain. Men who use MUSE should start their initial treatment in the clinic or hospital with the help of the doctor to avoid complications such as low blood pressure, urethral bleeding, and extended erections. After inserting the suppository, sexual stimulation is needed to avoid discomfort and increase blood flow to the penis.

Conclusion:

There are various reasons that cause erectile dysfunction, and a venous leak is just one among them. The ability to satisfy your partner will be reduced because of weak erections or loss of erections. However, due to constant medical research and study, doctors and scientists have made venous leak-associated erectile dysfunction fully treatable. Therefore, do not hesitate or feel nervous about consulting these issues with doctors. An online erectile dysfunction prescription can be obtained from a telemedicine platform. It is normal for men to face problems related to erectile dysfunction due to certain underlying medical conditions or lifestyle changes, and they are completely curable.

Source Article IclonSourcesSource Article Arrow
Dr. Raveendran S R
Dr. Raveendran S R

Sexology

Tags:

erectile dysfunction
Community Banner Mobile
By subscribing, I agree to iCliniq's Terms & Privacy Policy.

Source Article ArrowMost popular articles

Do you have a question on

erectile dysfunction

Ask a doctor online

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy