Erectile Dysfunction in Partners of Women With Vaginismus: Tadalafil as Adjuvant Therapy

Journal of Sex Research, Feb, 2006

Erectile Dysfunction in Partners of Women With Vaginismus: Tadalafil as Adjuvant Therapy, Nilva F. Pereira, State University of Campinas, Brazil

Thirty-seven women with vaginismus receiving care at the Sexology Outpatient Clinic at UNICAMP were submitted to sex therapy using systematic in vivo desensitization techniques. When they were considered ready for coitus, they were instructed to return to the clinic after three attempts at penile penetration. Eleven patients (30%) succeeded in completing full coitus by the third attempt.

The remaining 26 patients did not succeed in having coitus by the third attempt because of a state of situational erectile dysfunction in their partner, probably as a result of anxiety, inexperience, or lack of confidence. In these 26 cases, 13 couples were treated only with sex therapy, and the other 13 were treated with sex therapy plus oral administration of 20 mg of tadalafil to the partner. Results showed that 8 of 13 cases treated with tadalafil succeeded in having full coitus at the first attempt, 3 at the second attempt, and 2 at the third attempt. Among the couples who received only sex therapy, 3 succeeded in having complete coitus by the ninth attempt, while 10 needed as many as 15 attempts to achieve success. The use of tadalafil in situational erectile dysfunction in the partners of women receiving treatment for vaginismus shortens the time of follow-up by 2 to 3 months, avoiding greater emotional stress for a couple already highly compromised with anxiety. The shortening of treatment time is an important factor in public service, since it leads to improved attendance in the unit.