The effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on erectile and sexual function in obese adult men

Abstract

Background: Obesity is often associated with multiple negative health-related comorbidities. There is an increased risk of sexual dysfunction in the obese population. Although multiple studies reported significant improvement of these complaints after different bariatric surgeries, there are few studies evaluating the role of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on this specific outcome. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of LSG on sexual function in male patients with morbid obesity. Patients and methods: This prospective study included 114 morbid obese patients with erectile dysfunction (ED). All patients underwent the conventional LSG. Sexual function was evaluated using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score before surgery, then after six and 12 months after surgery. The severity of ED was evaluated according to the erectile function component of the same previous score.
Results: The one-year % of excess weight loss (EWL) had a mean value of 61.18%. At the same visit, there was a significant improvement in the total IIEF score from 49.04 to 67.88, erectile function from 18.25 to 25.94, orgasm function from 6.99 to 9.41, sexual desire from 7.06 to 9.35, intercourse satisfaction from 9.25 to 13.56, and overall satisfaction from 7.49 to 9.61. A significant positive association was noted between the % EWL and the total IIEF score and its components. Conclusion: LSG led to significant improvement of sexual and erectile dysfunction in obese male patients. Weight loss led to a significant decline in the prevalence of ED, and if the problem did not resolve, its severity would be markedly decreased.