Urethroplasty is surgery to repair a damaged urethra. Conventional wisdom used to hold that the procedure caused erectile dysfunction, but that is no longer considered to be true. In fact, studies show that conditions other than the surgery are usually responsible for post-urethroplasty ED, and that men who have had the procedure can find relief with drugs like Viagra.

Many men worry about permanent ED after Urethroplasty, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Studies show that the surgery itself rarely causes ED. Many men who have urethroplasty already have ED because of tissue damage. The good news is that after undergoing urethroplasty, men can successfully take Viagra and restore sexual function.

Viagra and Urethroplasty for ED

If you’ve been faced with urethroplasty it’s a scary operation to fix an even more frightening condition. Urethroplasty is surgery to fix the Urethra. When the urethra is injured or damaged by disease, this surgical procedure helps repair this important part of a man’s penis. Typically, the man experiences erectile dysfunction (ED) as part of their ailment. The good news is healthcare organizations like the Columbia University Department of Urology report up to a 95% success rate for some of the techniques they use to repair the urethra. The even better news is that men can also take Viagra to control their ED.

The urethra in males serves several important functions. The urethra is a small tube that runs from the bladder down the length of the penis. When the bladder becomes full, urine travels down the tube and out the end of the penis. During sex, the urethra also carries semen out the end of the penis. It is an exquisitely complicated organ, and when it is damaged, both excretion and sexual health can be affected.

Urethroplasty is the corrective surgery to repair the organ when damaged. Typically, men experiencing urethra damage from disease, radiation treatment, or physical injury, seek the assistance of a urologist to repair the tissue. Also, typically, these men may experience ED as a result of this damage.

There are several techniques within the surgical construct to repair the organ. Depending upon the damage, parts of the urethra may need to be excised and sewn together. Sometimes a graft of tissue will be taken from the inner lining of the mouth or from other areas of the groin. Studies show there is a high level of effectiveness of this surgery.

The International Brazilian Journal of Urology published research that looked at the effects of urethroplasty surgery on ED and the sexual functions of men who underwent the procedure. They found that age correlated more strongly with a diagnosis of ED than the surgery itself. Researchers concluded, “urethroplasty surgery itself does not significantly affect erectile function, orgasmic function, and general sexual satisfaction regardless of the type of surgery.”

Another study in the journal Urology confirmed these findings stating, “Patients undergoing staged penile urethroplasty with OMG are likely to have minimal changes in erectile and ejaculatory function post-operatively.”

Another study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine looked at men who had undergone urethroplasty to determine the efficacy of using sildenafil (Viagra) to improve their sexual function. Researchers found that 81% of the men using Viagra post-surgically found it effective in eliminating their ED. It should be noted that this study encompassed a small group of men who had suffered an injury to their urethras and were experiencing ED prior to their urethroplasty.

So, for men experiencing ED and about to undergo urethroplasty, there is good news: Chances are, after undergoing urethroplasty, men can successfully take Viagra and eliminate their erectile dysfunction.