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Platelet-rich plasma therapy aims to provide a long-term solution to erectile dysfunction, which affects around one in five adult men in Saudi Arabia.
Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH) has introduced an innovative treatment that aims to improve one of the underlying causes of erectile dysfunction (ED).
The novel therapy involves injecting platelet-rich plasma (PRP) into the penis to help regenerate damaged blood vessels, thereby improving blood flow and erectile function.
Around one in five adult men in Saudi Arabia have some form of ED, with older men more likely to be affected by the condition, research shows. ED can result from psychological, neurological, hormonal, and vascular issues, and is more likely to affect diabetics, smokers, and those with high blood pressure.
PRP therapy is a form of regenerative medicine that uses the healing power of the patient’s own platelets, which are cell fragments found in the blood that contain important chemicals used in cell reproduction. PRP therapy has long been used in other fields of medicine, but its use in ED is relatively new.
A PRP treatment session for ED takes just 20 minutes. At the start of the session, a small amount of blood is drawn from the patient and placed in a centrifuge. The centrifuge extracts PRP from the blood sample, which is injected into four sites on the patient’s penis. The PRP is then held in place for around 10 minutes with the help of a tourniquet. Typically, a patient will undergo three treatment sessions, one every two weeks.
“PRP therapy is showing great promise for patients with all but the most severe ED,” Dr. Nazar Mustafa, a urology consultant at JHAH, says.
As men age, muscle tissue in the penis degrades into fibrous tissue, which reduces elasticity and therefore, the effectiveness of ED medication. PRP seeks to improve blood flow, which in turn improves elasticity. These benefits enhance the effectiveness of ED medication, although not all PRP patients will take ED medication simultaneously.
A 2021 study that examined the short-term effects of PRP therapy in men with ED reported improved erectile function among 69% of participants. Several other studies have shown that PRP can improve erectile function in men with ED.