Skip to main content

Blessé médullaire: prise en charge en andrologie

Andrological management of spinal cord-injured men

Résumé

Les réactions sexuelles sont sous contrôle neurologique. Le traumatisme vertébromédullaire altère l’organisation neurologique et génère un dysfonctionnement sexuel. Les substances pharmacologiques actuelles permettent de rétablir la fonction érectile du blessé médullaire, première étape essentielle à la réorganisation d’une vie sexuelle. Le déclenchement de l’éjaculation est souvent difficile. Les techniques de stimulation périnéale isolées ou associées au traitement pharmacologique favorisent la réalisation d’éjaculation et permettent un recueil et une conservation du sperme. La possibilité d’obtenir une éjaculation au cours des rapports sexuels, chez le blessé médullaire, reste rare et sans véritable solution thérapeutique. Malgré l’altération de la qualité du sperme, les blessés médullaires conservent une possibilité de procréation pour 40 à 60 % des couples. Le recours à des techniques d’assistance médicale à la procréation est souvent nécessaire. La prise en charge des dysfonctionnements sexuels des blessés médullaires doit être intégrée dans un programme de rééducation et de réinsertion.

Abstract

Sexual reactions are under neurological control. Spinal cord trauma alters neurological structure and induces sexual dysfunction. Pharmacological drugs used currently allow erectile function to be recovered in spinal cord-injured men, an essential step towards the resumption of a sex life. Triggering of ejaculation is often difficult. Perineal stimulation techniques, used either in isolation or in association with pharmacological treatment, promote ejaculation and allow sperm collection and freezing. The possibility of achieving ejaculation during sexual intercourse in spinal cord-injured men remains rare and there is as yet no real therapy available. Despite poor semen quality, spinal cord-injured men maintain reproductive possibilities in 40 to 60% of couples. The use of assisted reproductive technologies is often required. Management of sexual dysfunction in spinal cord-injured men must be integrated into a rehabilitation and re-insertion programme.

Abbreviations

AMP:

assistance médicale à la procréation

FIV:

fécondation in vitro

ICSI:

injection intracyptoplasmique d’un spermatozoïde

IIEF:

index international de la fonction érectile

IPDE5:

inhibiteur de la phosphodiestérase de type 5

Références

  1. Rampin O, Giuliano F (2004) Physiologie et pharmacologie de l’éjaculation. J Soc Biol 198:231–236

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Giuliano F, Rampin O, Benoit G, Jardin A (1993) Commande nerveuse périphérique de l’érection. Andrologie 2:123–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. De Groat WC, Steers WD (1998) Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of penile erection. In: Tanagho EA, Lue TF, McClure RD (eds) Contemporary management of impotence and infertility. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, pp. 3–27

    Google Scholar 

  4. Giuliano F, Rampin O, Blanchet P, et al (1994) Physiopathologie des troubles de l’érection chez l’homme paraplégique. Andrologie 2:129–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Chapelle PA, Durand J, Lacert P (1980) Penile erection following complete spinal cord injury in man. Br J Urol 52:216–219

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bors E, Comarr AE (1960) Neurological disturbances of sexual function with special reference to 529 patients with spinal cord injury. Urol Surv 110:191–221

    Google Scholar 

  7. Comarr AE (1970) Sexual function among patients with spinal cord injury. Urol Int 25:134–168

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Rosen RC, Riley A, Wagner G, et al (1997) The international index of erectile function (IIEF): a multidimensional scale for assessment of erectile dysfunction. Urology 49:822–830

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Soler JM, Prévinaire JG, Denys P, Chartier-Kastler E (2007) Phosphodiesterase inhibitors in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in spinal cord-injured men. Spinal Cord 45:169–173

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Giuliano F, Hultling C, El Masry WS, et al (1999) Randomized trial of sildenafil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in spinal cord injury. Sildenafil Study Group. Ann Neurol 46:15–21

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Giuliano F, Rubio-Aurioles E, Kennelly M, et al (2006) Efficacy and safety of vardenafil in men with erectile dysfunction caused by spinal cord injury. Neurology 66:210–216

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Derry FA, Dinsmore WW, Fraser M, et al (1998) Efficacy and safety of oral sildenafil (Viagra) in men with erectile dysfunction caused by spinal cord injury. Neurology 51:1629–1633

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Virag R (1982) Intracavernous injection of papaverine for erectile failure. Lancet 2:938

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Beretta G, Zanollo A, Fanciullacci F, Catanzaro F (1986) Intracavernous injection of papaverine in paraplegic males. Acta Eur Fertil 17:283–284

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Porst H (1996) The rationale for prostaglandin E1 in erectile failure: a survey of worldwide experience. J Urol 155:802–815

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hirsch IH, Smith RL, Chancellor MB, et al (1994) Use of intracavernous injection of prostaglandin E1 for neuropathic erectile dysfunction. Paraplegia 32:661–664

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Soler JM, Prévinaire JG, Plante P, et al (2007) Midodrine improves ejaculation in spinal cord injured men. J Urol 178:2082–2086

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Brackett NL, Ferrell SM, Aballa TC, et al (1998) An analysis of 653 trials of penile vibratory stimulation in men with spinal cord injury. J Urol 159:1931–1934

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Ohl DA, Sønksen J, Menge AC, et al (1997) Electroejaculation versus vibratory stimulation in spinal cord injured men: sperm quality and patient preference. J Urol 157:2147–2149

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Sønksen J, Biering-Sørensen F, Kristensen JK (1994) Ejaculation induced by penile vibratory stimulation in men with spinal cord injuries. The importance of the vibratory amplitude. Paraplegia 32:651–660

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Riley AJ, Riley EJ (1982) Partial ejaculatory incompetence: the therapeutic effect of midodrine, an orally active selective alpha-adrenoceptor agonist. Eur Urol 8:155–160

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Halstead LS, VerVoort S, Seager SW (1987) Rectal probe electrostimulation in the treatment of anejaculatory spinal cord injured men. Paraplegia 25:120–129

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Bennett CJ, Seager SW, Vasher EA, McGuire EJ (1988) Sexual dysfunction and electroejaculation in men with spinal cord injury: review. J Urol 139:453–457

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Brindley GS (1981) Reflex ejaculation under vibratory stimulation in paraplegic men. Paraplegia 19:299–302

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Sobrero AJ, Stearns HE, Blair JH (1965) Technic for the induction of ejaculation in humans. Fertil Steril 16:765–767

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Sønksen J, Ohl DA, Giwercman A, et al (1996) Quality of semen obtained by penile vibratory stimulation in men with spinal cord injuries: observations and predictors. Urology 48:453–457

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Sønksen J, Sommer P, Biering-Sørensen F, et al (1997) Pregnancy after assisted ejaculation procedures in men with spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 78:1059–1061

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Szasz G, Carpenter C (1989) Clinical observations in vibratory stimulation of the penis of men with spinal cord injury. Arch Sex Behav 18:461–474

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Chapelle PA, Blanquart F, Puech AJ, Held JP (1983) Treatment of anejaculation in the total paraplegic by subcutaneous injection of physostigmine. Paraplegia 21:30–36

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Brackett NL, Padron OF, Lynne CM (1997) Semen quality of spinal cord injured men is better when obtained by vibratory stimulation versus electroejaculation. J Urol 157:151–157

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Brindley GS (1983) Physiology of erection and management of paraplegic infertility. In: Hargreave TB (ed) Male infertility. Springer, Berlin, pp. 261–278

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  32. Brindley GS (1984) The fertility of men with spinal injuries. Paraplegia 22:337–348

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Kamischke A, Nieschlag E (2002) Update on medical treatment of ejaculatory disorders. Int J Androl 25:333–344

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Mathias CJ (2006) Orthostatic hypotension and paroxysmal hypertension in humans with high spinal cord injury. Prog Brain Res 152:231–243

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Prévinaire JG, Soler JM, Hanson P (1993) Skin potential recordings during cystometry in spinal cord injured patients. Paraplegia 31:13–21

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Sønksen J, Biering-Søeensen F (1992) Fertility in men with spinal cord or cauda equina lesions. Semin Neurol 12:106–114

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Soler JM, Prévinaire JG, Plante P, et al (2008) Midodrine improves orgasm in spinal cord-injured men: the effects of autonomic stimulation. J Sex Med 5(12):2935–2941

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Beretta G, Chelo E, Zanollo A (1989) Reproductive aspects in spinal cord injured males. Paraplegia 27:113–118

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Padron OF, Brackett NL, Sharma RK, et al (1997) Seminal reactive oxygen species and sperm motility and morphology in men with spinal cord injury. Fertil Steril 67:1115–1120

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Siösteen A, Forssman L, Steen Y, et al (1990) Quality of semen after repeated ejaculation treatment in spinal cord injury men. Paraplegia 28:96–104

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Sønksen J, Ohl DA, Giwercman A, et al (1999) Effect of repeated ejaculation on semen quality in spinal cord injured men. J Urol 161:1163–1165

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Chen D, Hartwig DM, Roth EJ (1999) Comparison of sperm quantity and quality in antegrade V retrograde ejaculates obtained by vibratory penile stimulation in males with spinal cord injury. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 78:46–51

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Brackett NL, Bloch WE, Lynne CM (1998) Predictors of necrospermia in men with spinal cord injury. J Urol 159:844–847

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Mallidis C, Lim TC, Hill ST, et al (2000) Necrospermia and chronic spinal cord injury. Fertil Steril 74:221–227

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Sedor JF, Hirsch IH (1995) Evaluation of sperm morphology of electroejaculates of spinal cord-injured men by strict criteria. Fertil Steril 63:1125–1127

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Lynne CM, Aballa TC, Wang TJ, et al (1999) Serum and semen prostate specific antigen concentrations are different in young spinal cord injured men compared to normal controls. J Urol 162:89–91

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Hirsch IH, Jeyendran RS, Sedor J, et al (1991) Biochemical analysis of electroejaculates in spinal cord injured men: comparison to normal ejaculates. J Urol 145:73–76

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. de Lamirande E, Leduc BE, Iwasaki A, et al (1995) Increased reactive oxygen species formation in semen of patients with spinal cord injury. Fertil Steril 63:637–642

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Basu S, Aballa TC, Ferrell SM, et al (2004) Inflammatory cytokine concentrations are elevated in seminal plasma of men with spinal cord injuries. J Androl 25:250–254

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Brackett NL, Davi RC, Padron OF, Lynne CM (1996) Seminal plasma of spinal cord injured men inhibits sperm motility of normal men. J Urol 155:1632–1635

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Brackett NL, Ferrel SM, Aballa TC, Lynne CM (1996) Poor sperm motility in spinal cord injured (SCI) men is related to factors in their seminal plasma. Soc Neurosci Abstr 22:1052

    Google Scholar 

  52. Aird IA, Vince GS, Bates MD (1999) Leukocytes in semen from men with spinal cord injuries. Fertil Steril 72:97–103

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Basu S, Lynne CM, Ruiz P, et al (2002) Cytofluorographic identification of activated T-cell subpopulations in the semen of men with spinal cord injury. J Androl 23:551–556

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Chung PH, Verkauf BS, Mola R, et al (1997) Correlation between semen parameters and achieving pregnancy by intrauterine insemination. Fertil Steril 67:129–132

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Mallidis C, Lim TC, Hill ST, et al (1994) Collection of semen from men in acute phase of spinal cord injury. Lancet 343:1072–1073

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Nehra A, Werner MA, Bastuba M, et al (1996) Vibratory stimulation and rectal probe electroejaculation as therapy for patients with spinal cord injury: semen parameters and pregnancy rates. J Urol 155:554–559

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Pryor JL, Kuneck PH, Blatz SM, et al (2001) Delayed timing of intrauterine insemination results in a significantly improved pregnancy rate in female partners of quadriplegic men. Fertil Steril 76:1130–1135

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Kolettis PN, Lambert MC, Hammond KR, et al (2002) Fertility outcomes after electroejaculation in men with spinal cord injury. Fertil Steril 78:429–431

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Dahlberg A, Ruutu M, Hovatta O (1995) Pregnancy results from a vibrator application, electroejaculation, and a vas aspiration programme in spinal-cord injured men. Hum Reprod 10:2305–2307

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Hultling C, Rosenlund B, Levi R, et al (1997) Assisted ejaculation and in vitro fertilization in the treatment of infertile spinal cord-injured men: the role of intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Hum Reprod 12:499–502

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Löchner-Ernst D, Mandalka B, Kramer G, Stöhrer M (1997) Conservative and surgical semen retrieval in patients with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord 35:463–468

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Toledo AA, Tucker MJ, Bennett JK, et al (1992) Electroejaculation in combination with in vitro fertilization and gamete micromanipulation for treatment of anejaculatory male infertility. Am J Obstet Gynecol 167:322–325

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Buch JP, Zorn BH (1993) Evaluation of treatment of infertility in spinal cord injured men through rectal probe electroejaculation. J Urol 149:1350–1354

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Matthews GJ, Gardner TA, Eid JF (1996) In vitro fertilization improved pregnancy rates obtained by rectal probe ejaculation. J Urol 155:1934–1937

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Marina S, Marina F, Alcolea R, et al (1999) Triplet pregnancy achieved through intracytoplasmic sperm injection with spermatozoa obtained by prostatic massage of a paraplegic patient. Hum Reprod 14:1546–1548

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Bustillo M, Rajfer J (1986) Pregnancy following insemination with sperm aspirated directly from vas deferens. Fertil Steril 46:144–146

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Hirsh AV, Mills C, Tan SL, et al (1993) Pregnancy using spermatozoa aspirated from the vas deferens with ejaculatory failure due to spinal injury. Hum Reprod 8:89–90

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Hovatta O, von Smitten K (1993) Sperm aspiration from vas deferens and in vitro fertilization in cases of non treatable anejaculation. Hum Reprod 8:1689–1691

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Chung PH, Verkauf BS, Eichberg RD, et al (1996) Electroejaculation and assisted reproductive techniques for anejaculatory infertility. Obstet Gynecol 87:22–26

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Schatte EC, Orejuela FJ, Lipshultz LI, et al (2000) Treatment of infertility due to anejaculation in the male with electroejacualtion and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. J Urol 163:1717–1720

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. -M. Soler.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 ), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Soler, J.M., Mieusset, R. Blessé médullaire: prise en charge en andrologie. Basic Clin. Androl. 19, 90–98 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12610-009-0007-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12610-009-0007-1

Mots clés

Keywords