Intracavernosal Injection of Autologous Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells as an Efficient Alternative Treatment for Patients with Erectile Dysfunction

Introduction : This study aimed to evaluate the treatment efficacy of autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED).Methods: This study included 14 ED patients (aged 29-75 years) referred to our ED clinic from 2020 to 2022. The patients had a healthy mental status, no history of malignancies, and no prior use of psychiatric medications. Papaverine was used to achieve an erection to improve the efficacy of stem cell injection. The clinical assessment of the patients was conducted using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and the Erection Hardness Score (EHS) before and 3 months after the injection of stem cells. The follow-up visit was performed 3 months after the injection of stem cells.Results: The mean age of the study participants was 46.42± 10.62 years. Ten patients had a history of treatment with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for ED. The EHS and IIEF scores of the patients were significantly higher 3 months after the injection compared to the pre-treatment period (P-value=0.000 and P-value=0.001, respectively). Only three patients had minor ecchymosis on their penises.Conclusion: The treatment of ED using autologous adipose-derived MSCs with the injection of papaverine is an effective and safe method. The main goal of this treatment method is to repair the damaged tissues or the vascular system of the corpus cavernosum to improve the erectile function of the patients.