**4.2 Erectile function after radiation therapy, cryotherapy, and HIFU**

Pardo *et al.* reported that among patients with no relevant sexual problems at baseline, approximately 40% in the external and interstitial brachytherapy groups had preserved their pretreatment sexual status.12

Merrick *et al.* reported that 39% of patients maintained potency after prostate brachytherapy with a plateau on the potency preservation curve at 6-year follow-up, and preservation of potency after brachytherapy correlated with preimplant erectile function, patients age, use of supplemental external beam radiation therapy, and diabetes, and was statistically significant.20

Asterling *et al.* reported that 3.7% and 14.3% of patients had partial erections at 6 weeks and 9 months after cryosurgical ablation. Besides, 21% and 24% of the patients had regained full potency at 18 and 24 months after cryosurgical ablation.21

Hubosky *et al.* reported that cryotherapy patients experienced more negative impacts on sexual function steadily up to 12 months compared to brachytherapy patients.10

We reported that potency rates were 52%, 63% and 78% for patients who did not undergo NADT at 6, 12and 24 months after HIFU therapy. Furthermore, potency rates were 39%, 62% and 67% at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively, after HIFUtherapy without the use of

A Review of Quality of Life Following Treatments for Localized Prostate Cancer 361

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[13] Rocco B, Gregori A, Stener S, et al. Posterior reconstruction of the rhabdoshincter allows

[14] Joshi N, Blok W, Muilekom E, et al. Impact of posterior musculofascial reconstruction

[15] Di Pierro GB, Baumeister P, Stucki P, et al. A prospective trial comparing consecutive

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PDE5 inhibitors.11 HIFU therapy can, therefore, preserve erectile function better than RRP and cryotherapy, and is similar to RALP.
