Electrostimulation in the treatment of erectile dysfunction: a scoping review

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of electrostimulation in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in adult men. It is a scoping review conducted according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Intervention studies using electrostimulation for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in adult men (≥ 19 years) were included, sourced from PubMed, with no restriction on publication year. The search was conducted using the English descriptors: "Erectile Dysfunction," "Impotence," "Electrotherapy," "Electrical Stimulation," "Electro-stimulation," "Experimental Study," "Randomized Controlled Trial," "RCT," and "Clinical Trial," with boolean operators AND and OR. Two studies used the Erect Fit Stimulation System, one employed the FES technique, and the other used Quadrangular Electric Stimulation. Regarding the stimulation frequency, there was a variation from 2 Hz to 50 Hz, with 50% of the studies using frequencies between 2 Hz and 5 Hz and the remaining 50% using frequencies between 30 Hz and 50 Hz. FES was shown to be an effective and beneficial therapy for erectile function and patient quality of life, demonstrating greater efficacy compared to aerobic exercises in managing erectile dysfunction. Transcutaneous electrostimulation of the ischiocavernosus region emerges as a promising and non-invasive approach, improving penile rigidity by acting on relevant striated muscles.