Does on-demand vardenafil improve erectile function recovery after radical prostatectomy?

Author(s): Mulhall JP

Affiliation(s): Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, Urology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. mulhalj1@mskcc.org

Publication date & source: 2009-01, Nat Clin Pract Urol., 6(1):14-5. Epub 2008 Dec 9.

Publication type: Comment

The randomized, placebo-controlled trial reported by Montorsi and colleagues attempted to determine if nightly vardenafil was more effective than on-demand drug in restoring erectile function after radical prostatectomy. No significant difference in outcomes was found between the study groups at 11 or 13 months after surgery. The study, however, had enough methodological flaws to prevent any definitive conclusions from being drawn. The authors' conclusion that the data support a shift towards on-demand phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor use after radical prostatectomy is not supported by the data.