Assessment of the Feasibility and Clinical Efficacy of Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (Li-ESWT) Using the Dornier System in Patients With Vasculogenic Erectile Dysfunction: A Pilot Study

Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) is a well-established modality for treating various urological and musculoskeletal conditions. Recently, its application has expanded to include vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED), primarily due to its ability to trigger neo-angiogenesis and significantly improve penile blood flow. While the clinical efficacy of Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (Li-ESWT) is increasingly recognized globally, it currently remains non-FDA approved for this specific indication. Furthermore, the accessibility of this treatment is often limited, as dedicated Li-ESWT machines are expensive and frequently unavailable in public healthcare settings.

This pilot study investigates the feasibility of adapting the Dornier Delta Lithotripter utilized for high-energy renal stone fragmentation for penile therapy. The central research question focuses on whether this high-energy platform can be safely and precisely calibrated to low-intensity levels to provide therapeutic benefits without inducing tissue damage and complications.

Our clinical rationale is inspired by shifting paradigms in other medical fields, such as prostate cancer radiotherapy, which emphasize delivering a concentrated therapeutic dose in fewer sessions. Since early pilot studies most notably by Vardi et al experimented with standardized five-point techniques over multiple weeks, we seek to optimize this by evaluating the impact of focused energy delivery and modified patient positioning.This research aims to provide a cost-effective, accessible alternative for ED treatment using existing hospital infrastructure.