Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Erectile dysfunction, a man's inability to maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse, is much more common than once thought. Erectile dysfunction affects about 10 to 20 million men, and as many as 30 million men suffer at least partial erectile dysfunction. Eighty percent of all erectile dysfunction has a physiological component or cause, and is not psychological. It is age-related, chronic, progressive, and greatly under-treated.

Compared to many other societies, America is still embarrassed and bashful about sex—but that is changing. Sex is more openly discussed on television, in the movies, on the Internet, and in private. This new-found openness, coupled with the introduction of medications such as Viagra, is encouraging more and more men to seek medical treatment for erectile dysfunction. Between 5% and 25% of men with the condition now see a doctor for help.

Doctors at Columbia/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital offer men with erectile dysfunction the full range of available treatments. Columbia Urology's Dr. Peter Stahl, a specialist in sexual dysfunction, has developed a program for men with erectile dysfunction that combines oral and injection therapy. He also has particular expertise in penile rehabilitation after prostate surgery, and spent a year training specifically in complex penile implant surgery.