Several strategies are published for postoperative erectile function rehabilitation after nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy. Despite objective data regarding rehabilitation of erectile function (EF) after nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy (nsRP) the ″gold-standard″-treatment is still under debate. Expectations of the partners of the patients are rarely subject of most of these rehabilitation studies. The aim of our study was to evaluate the expectations of the partners of patients undergoing nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy and penile rehabilitation programs.

We performed a questionnaire sent to the partners of all enrolled patients of 3 different penile rehabilitation studies after nsRP with a regular dose of different PDE5-inhibitors (sildenafil / vardenafil / tadalafil). 124 patients (mean age 69 years) had been enrolled in the rehabilitation studies and their partners (mean age 66 years) were included in this study. All of the 3 rehabilitation studies had a minimum follow-up of 24 months. The survey consists of different questions, e.g. if the partners believe in the rehabilitation concept and what they expect with regards to the outcome.

78 partners of the 124 patients (63%) completed and returned the questionnaire. Before rehabilitation treatment 51 partners (65%) believed in the concept of rehabilitation, but only 32 partners (41%) expected partly to fully rehabilitation of erectile function of the partners caused by the initiated penile rehabilitation program. After the end of the study treatment, 2 years after nsRP, 45% of the partners are satisfied by the recovery of erectile function of their partners.

Lots of different therapeutic concepts are currently performed to increase EF recovery after nsRP. The use of PDE5-inhibitors is the most chosen treatment option. Despite the published data regarding effectiveness the optimal treatment seems to be still unknown. Despite the objective data of erectile function recovery after penile rehabilitation programs after nsRP the proportion of positive expectations of the partners of our patients undergoing nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy in combination with erectile rehabilitation seems to be unexpectedly low. In contrast the proportion of satisfied partners of penile rehabilitation programs was higher than the positive expectations.

Only 41% of the partners of patients within penile rehabilitation programs expect partly to fully recovery of erectile function after nsRP. Satisfaction rate with erectile function recovery was reported by 45% of the partners 2 years after nsRP. These results underline the importance of appropriate consultation of patients and their partners to provide important information to our patients and partners especially before surgery to deliver adequate information and data to create profound expectations.