Erectile dysfunction in patients after kidney transplantation and nephrectomy in living donors: literature review

Abstract

Аnalysis of the world literature shows that sexual dysfunction is a common problem in patients with chronic renal failure and after kidney transplantation in both men and women, which requires proper attention of specialists. The etiology of sexual dysfunction remains multifactorial and is associated with the level of azotemia, comorbidities, age, anemia, hormonal disorders, autonomic neuropathy, vascular diseases, hyperparathyroidism, hyperprolactinemia, drug side effects, and psychosocial factors. Sexual dysfunctions have a serious impact on the quality of social and family life of patients. On the one hand, in most cases, there is an increase in life expectancy and an improvement in the quality of life of patients after kidney transplantation. Due to the normalization of hormonal disorders, it improves sexual health (libido), overall health and fertility. On the other hand, after kidney transplantation, the prevalence of sexual dysfunction still remains at 46 % in both men and women. After kidney transplantation, erectile function in many patients improves and some recover. However, not all authors note an improvement in sexual dysfunction after kidney transplantation and leave the problem open. Conservative therapy with oral forms of drugs is most advantageous compared to cavernous injections or surgical treatment, if it does not affect the function of the graft. Sexual disorders after kidney transplantation remain a multifactorial disorder, and methods of their correction, especially in young patients, remain an urgent problem and require further study.