Despite growth, the number of men with access to treatment is still much lower than the volume of patients with condition
The number of outpatient procedures to be treated erectile dysfunction It has been an increase of 82% in the last six years in Brazil, according to the data of the Ministry of Health raised by State Public Service Hospital (HSPE) of San Paolo and obtained from Estadão. The calls went from 1.015 in 2019 to 1,847 in 2024. In the first five months of this year, 905 procedures were. The hospital care to treat the problem grew by 49% between 2019 and 2024.
According to Rafael Ambar, urologist and member of the HSPE Andrology group, the aging of the population is one of the explanations for the increase. Because of the scenario, there is a greater appreciation for the quality of life of the public elderly. The men who previously would have abdicated sex life today in old age want to remain sexually active at a more advanced age. In HSPE, for example, erectile dysfunction is a reason for 20% of the weekly care of the urology service.
According to him, another reason is the maximum availability of information on the Council. “Today, there are doctors who are online that provide a guide and suggestions to patients, as well as a significant increase in the number of urologists who are dedicated to andrology, which is the urology area that studies sexual medicine. Men, in general, are also losing the fear of seeking help”, underlines.
The growth of men with diseases that increase the risk of erectile dysfunction, such as obesity and diabetes, also helps to explain the exhaust.
Despite the increase, the number of patients looking for treatment is still very small close to the volume of patients suffering from erectile dysfunction. According to Fernando Faiio, head of the Andrology Department of the Brazilian Society of Urology (SBU), it is estimated that over 50% of men over 50 have a certain degree of problem.
Erectile dysfunction
Ambar defines erectile dysfunction as the recurring difficulty of obtaining or maintaining a satisfactory erection for sexual intercourse. “There are different types: vasculogen erectile dysfunction, which occurs for circulatory problems, psychogenic dysfunction, which occurs for psychological reasons; and that relating to neurological problems. The framework can take place in a mixed way, when there is more than one of these associated components,” he explains.
The image is more widespread in middle -aged men, but according to Face, aging itself is not the main cause of dysfunction. “((((Happens) Only why the aged person? No. It is because it aged together with a series of chronic diseases, which are risk factors for erectile dysfunction, including obesity, hypertensiondiabetes and smoke. All this, combined with age, develops the patient the difficulty of having a good erection, “he says.
According to experts, the problem has also increased among young people. “In them, the main cause of dysfunction is psychogenic. We live in a society in which people are more exposed to stress. There is a greater charge, both in performance and sexual aspect. This makes young people more stressed and subject to anxiety, which contributes to psychogenic erectile dysfunction”, Ambar details.
The doctors feel the increasingly common habit of young cars -medic with remedies that facilitate erection without looking for care to understand the causes of the problem. “Younger men often cannot recognize that the cause of dysfunction is psychogenic and instead of treating it correctly with consultations Doctors and psychological advice end up using these drugs, “says Ambar.
Pornographic consumption
Another point of concern is the Excessive consumption of pornographywhich can increase the risk of sexual dysfunction. According to Tamara Wall Zanotelli, sexual, sexual therapist and member of the Brazilian association of health professionals, education and sexual therapy (Abrasex), pornography allows man to achieve sexual satisfaction faster and easily, without sexual exchanges with partners. When he tries to reach this same satisfaction for someone else, difficulties arise.
“When these videos become a reference for the user’s brain, he looks for the same stimulus he had when he looks at them, which is not always easy. Therefore, of course, in a film he has (pleasure in) A shorter time, while when we have a partnership, other factors must be considered, “he explains.
Treatment
According to Fiio, before drugs and surgical options to treat erectile dysfunction, it is important to control risk factors for the condition, such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, smoke, among others.
In addition, in case of dysfunction of the psychogenic cause, sexual therapy is indicated. “Inside the process, we will make a deep anamnesis to identify what is the factor that is influencing the result and, from there, creating techniques for the patient to identify these factors,” explains Tamara. “It is a process that is usually weekly and not too long. It depends on the patient, but on average it lasts three months.”
Another common intervention is the use of vasodilators, who are usually taken before the relationship. “When oral drugs do not work, it has injected drugs. In this case, the patient applies to himself on the penis a few minutes before sex,” explains Ambar.
Penis prosthesis
If patients do not respond or do not adapt to these treatments, there is the surgical option to implement a penis prosthesis.
In Brazil, two types of prostheses are available on the market: malleable and inflatable. “The malleable prosthesis is a solid silicone cylinder with a metal wire that guarantees an erection so that the patient can have a penetrative sex. It gives an erection that is permanent, that is, the patient gets the penis erected 100% of the time, loses the state of decrease”, explains Ambar.
“The advantage is that a simpler surgery with a lower risk of complications. It is available in Unified Health System (Sus)In some hospitals and has a coverage of medical agreements, “he adds.
The already inflatable prostheses act as a device that allows the patient to have both the state of relaxation and erection. “It implies the two -cylinder plant inside the penis and a small activation pump in the scrotum region, between the two testicles and the system of a small liquid tank in the abdominal cavity”, Ambar detail.
This type of prosthesis, however, is not available in the SU and is not included in the list of health procedures and events, Additional National Agency (ANS). Values may vary from $ 50,000 to $ 80,000, while the malleable model costs between $ 4,000 and $ 9.5 thousand.
“The great advantage is that the patient has a condition much more similar to the normal physiological condition, because he can have a drop and erection, reserving the erection for the times he wants to have, which allows him to have a life Sciana without any restriction.
Recently, a new model of inflatable prosthesis in Brazil has arrived in Brazil whose main differential is the largest increase in the diameter of the penis among the available models.
“Furthermore, he has a guarantee for life. That is, if he undertakes to failure throughout the patient’s life to offer a new system for free,” explains the urologist HSPE. In general, prostheses must have changed after ten years.
This week, Ambar will perform the first surgery to implement this new model of prosthesis in a Brazilian public hospital.
The procedure will be carried out within the programming of the fourth edition of the International Day of Functional Urology and reconstructive and Protestic Urological Surgery (IV Urorecon), from the Medical Assistance Institute to the state public employee (IACSPE), which takes place on 5 and 6 September, in San Paolo. More details on the event, aimed at urologists, are available in Official site.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
