Traumatic vasculogenic erectile dysfunction: role of penile microarterial bypass surgery.

Penile microarterial bypass surgery (MABS) may be the only treatment capable of restoring normal erectile function without necessity of chronic use of vasoactive medications or placement of a penile prosthesis. Lack of standardization in patient selection, hemodynamic evaluation, surgical technique, and limited long-term outcome data using validated instruments has resulted in this surgery being considered experimental. In addition, poor reimbursements, long surgical time, and the need for microsurgical expertise have lead to infrequent penile revascularization procedures.

Modification of lupus-associated 60-kDa Ro protein with the lipid oxidation product 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal increases antigenicity and facilitates epitope spreading.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with autoantibodies as a near universal feature of the disease. The Ro ribonucleoprotein particle, composed of a 60-kDa protein noncovalently associated with human cytoplasmic RNA, is the target of antibodies in 25-40% of lupus patients. Purified human 60-kDa Ro was found to be oxidatively modified.