Post-prostate surgery males ’should consider penile rehabilitation’
August 8th, 2007 by 
Eric
Males recovering from prostate surgery may want to think about using an anti-impotence treatment such as Viagra to reduce their chances of long-term erectile dysfunction, it has been suggested.
Following a study by the Harvard Medical School which found that long-term damage may result after failing to achieve an erection after the prostate has been removed, researchers believe that rather than leaving erection function to return naturally, it may be more beneficial to use an enhancing aid.
According to the findings, when the penis is flaccid over a long period of time, it is starved of blood rich in oxygen, which can cause some of the cells to lose their flexibility.
To prevent damage the researchers suggest that males try treatments such as impotence drugs like Viagra or Cialis, or opt for a vacuum pump.
Dr Marc Garnick, editor in chief of Perspectives on Prostate Disease and a Harvard oncologist, said: “Although the evidence supporting this ‘penile rehabilitation’ isn’t perfect, you may want to ask your doctor about the options. Such early intervention may help increase the odds that you will regain erectile function.”
An earlier study into penile rehabilitation found that with some treatments, post-surgery men could engage in sexual activity within two or three months of their operation, according to Dr Rupesh Raina, of MetroHealth Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, Ohio.
