Chinese researchers have developed a synthetic tissue that can help pigs with penile injuries regain an erection. According to the researchers, this technique may in the future also be applied to men with erection problems due to injuries to their genitals.
The discovery was made by the South China University of Technology in Guangzhou. The website EurekAlert! reports the investigation.
The special artificial tissue that the scientists have developed resembles the spongy tissue that runs through the shaft of the penis. That tissue is necessary to maintain an erection. More research is needed to see if and when this new technique is also suitable for humans.
In that case, the tissue would need to be transplanted into the penis. But the risk remains that the body will reject and reject the synthetic tissue. This problem may be solved by ‘mixing’ the artificial tissue with tissue from the patient.
The discovery of the Chinese researchers may help erectile dysfunction problems, but can also be used for men suffering from Peyronie’s disease. In a small group of older men, this can lead to an unwanted curvature during an erection.
According to the Chinese team, half of all men between the ages of 40 and 70 suffer from erection problems to a greater or lesser extent. Lead researcher Xuetao Shi states that “this area of research receives little attention, but it does meet a great need”.