The Efficacy of Low Intensity Shock Wave Therapy (LI-SWT) in Treating Erectile Dysfunction: A Single Center Study

Year 2025, Volume: 20 Issue: 3, 175 - 182, 20.10.2025

Emrah Ozsoy , Musab Ali Kutluhan

https://doi.org/10.33719/nju1721929

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of low intensity shock wave therapy (LI-SWT) in the treatment of erectile dysfunction
Material and Methods: After ethics committee approval, male patients who applied to our clinic between March 2021 and July 2024 with the complaint of erectile dysfunction were retrospectively screened. Clinical data of 63 patients who met the inclusion criteria and underwent LI-SWT treatment were reviewed. Age, body mass index, International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) and Erectile Hardness Score (EHS) score before LI-SWT treatment, previous erectile dysfunction treatment, smoking and alcohol use, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) status and comorbidities were recorded. IIEF-5 and EHS scores at 3 and 6 months after LI-SWT were recorded and compared statistically. Subgroup analyses were also carried out according to comorbidities.
Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in both IIEF-5 and EHS scores following Li-ESWT. The median IIEF-5 score increased from 13.0 at baseline to 15.0 at 3 months and 20.0 at 6 months post-treatment (p < 0.001). Similarly, the median EHS improved from 2.0 pre-treatment to 3.0 at 6 months (p < 0.001). Also significant improvements in IIEF-5 and EHS scores were observed across all subgroups at 6 months post-treatment
Conclusion: LI-SWT can be effective first line treatment option especially in mild and moderate erectile dysfunction. It can be used alternative to phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor treatment. In addition, it can be considered as single or combined with PDE-5 inhibitor treatment in severe erectile dysfunction patients with comorbid diseases.

Keywords

erectile dysfunction , EHS , IIEF-5 , low intensity shock wave therapy (LI-SWT)

Ethical Statement

The ethics committee approval of the study was obtained from Ordu University Non-Interventional Scientific Research Ethics Committee (Decision No: 2025/33)

Supporting Institution

The authors received no funding or financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article

Düşük Yoğunluklu Şok Dalga Tedavisinin (LI-SWT) Sertleşme Bozukluğunun Tedavisindeki Etkinliği: Tek Merkezli Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Amaç: Erektil disfonksiyon tedavisinde düşük yoğunluklu şok dalga tedavisinin (LI-SWT) etkinliğini değerlendirmek
Yöntem: Etik kurul onayı alındıktan sonra, Mart 2021 ile Temmuz 2024 tarihleri arasında erektil disfonksiyon şikayeti ile kliniğimize başvuran erkek hastalar retrospektif olarak tarandı. Dahil edilme kriterlerini karşılayan ve LI-SWT tedavisi uygulanan 63 hastanın klinik verileri incelendi. LI-SWT tedavisi öncesi yaş, vücut kitle indeksi, Uluslararası Erektil Fonksiyon Endeksi (IIEF-5) ve Erektil Sertlik Skoru (EHS), önceki erektil disfonksiyon tedavisi, sigara ve alkol kullanımı, iyi huylu prostat hiperplazisi (BPH) durumu ve komorbiditeler kaydedildi. LI-SWT sonrası 3 ve 6. aylarda IIEF-5 ve EHS skorları kaydedildi ve istatistiksel olarak karşılaştırıldı. Ayrıca komorbiditelere göre alt grup analizleri yapıldı
Sonuçlar: Li-ESWT sonrası hem IIEF-5 hem de EHS skorlarında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı iyileşmeler gözlendi. Medyan IIEF-5 skoru, tedavi öncesi 13'den tedavi sonrası 3. ayda 15'e ve 6. ayda 20'ye yükseldi (p < 0,001). Benzer şekilde, medyan EHS tedaviden önce 2 iken 6 ayda 3'e yükselmiştir (p < 0,001). Ayrıca, tedavi sonrası 6. ayda tüm alt gruplarda IIEF-5 ve EHS skorlarında önemli iyileşmeler gözlemlenmiştir
Sonuç: LI-SWT tedavisi, erektil disfonksiyonun birinci basamak tedavisinde etkili ve güvenilir bir tedavi yöntemidir. LI-SWT tedavisi, PDE-5 inhibitörlerine yanıt vermeyen hastalarda, PDE-5 inhibitörlerini kullanamayan veya kullanmak istemeyen hastalarda, daha invaziv tedavi yöntemlerini denemeden önce önerilebilir

Keywords

Düşük yoğunluklu şok dalga tedavisi , sertleşme sıkıntısı , IIEF-5 , EHS

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