Scientific Highlights

We realized during the different days of the ESSM Congress that 6 sessions were entirely devoted to the surgical field, including aspects of prosthetic surgery, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the penis, both in the simplest cases and in extremely complex situations that the specialist can meet every day in his clinical practice, as well. This was made possible by debates - even vibrant - including some of the leading surgeons present on the world scenario, who brought their own techniques especially in light of severe criticisms upon the more correct and discordant  indications to the surgery itself.

In details:

• VC-01 Video Surgery Course
• RT-10 Peyronie’s disease: still a pain in the neck! A critical reappraisal
• ML-05 SMSNA Lecture: penile augmentation surgery – quo vadis?
• PS-05 Surgery and Peyronie’s disease
• RT-17 Prevention and management of male genital emergencies
• RT-18 The “bull fighting experience”: My surgery works better in severe cases of Peyronie’s disease!

In addition, an entire session was dedicated to an important debate on rehabilitation of erectile function after radical prostatectomy, an evergreen issue of sexual medicine. This topic was debated for the first time at ESSM, and was likely addressed for the first time with a truly comprehensive comparison between open surgery and robot-assisted surgery (RALP). To this end, we had the opportunity of having among us some of the world's leading experts in the field.

In details:

• RT-05  Postoperative sexual function following radical prostatectomy: which approach is better in 2010?

Likewise, for the first time to ESSM and, perhaps for the first time in an European forum, we were able to discuss surgical emergencies in the field of andrology, starting from priapism, to fractures in the penis, Fournier's gangrene, genitals’ trauma of different types and severity.
The various formal sessions during the congress were then complemented by an excellent educational program dedicated to the penile prosthetic surgery and the gender reassignment surgery.

In details:

• EC-06  The role of penile prosthesis in contemporary sexual medicine practice
• EC-03  Gender Reassignment Surgery

One of the main goals for the Malaga Congress has been to focus on several aspects of the everyday clinical practice, especially making treatments for sexual disorders physician-friendly in difficult-to-be-treated populations. With this aim in mind, the congress days included several translational discussions from physiopathology to the clinical scenario in order to tailor the right therapy for the right patient at all times. In this context, a renewed focus was directed upon the dramatic role and the several impacts of the numerous sexually transmitted diseases in the “real-life word”.

In details:

• RT-1 Sexually transmitted diseases: challenges in the “real-life” world
• EC-02 What does the sexual physician need to know about genital dermatology
• RT-11 Who deserves what? A more focused pharmacological approach for sexual dysfunctions
• RT-16 How to approach sexual dysfunction in 2010 – sharing the experience of different European countries

Of great appeal, the Congress proposed a number of useful sessions on men’s endocrine aspects, with attention paid to the role of testosterone with regards to the overall men’s health, and – particularly, to prostate’s health. Likewise, rates and predictors of female sexual dysfunction have been discussed throughout the reproductive cycle.

In details:

• ML-02  Long term outcomes of testosterone deficiency on prostate and sexual health: The Registry of Hypogonadism in Men (RHYME)
• RT-15 Is testosterone dangerous for prostate health?
• RT-19 Testosterone, Who Hates You?
• RT-03 Is sexual health of importance in patients with heart failure? The case for erectile dysfunction
• RT-04 Who, where and why? The demography of female sexual dysfunction throughout the reproductive cycle
• EC-05 Contraception and HRT for women in contemporary clinical practice

One of the items ESSM has always considered of greater importance was the opportunity to grow intellectually and to broadly promote knowledge in the field of Sexual Medicine. This is why also during the conference in Malaga, we tried to pay close attention to research and, foremost, to research that could be applied to everyday life. For this particular aspect, many interesting and provocative sessions were devoted to translational science, research in the field of psychology and the combination of the different facets of quality of life and human’s health.

We want to especially remember in particular:

• RT-08 Translational science: how to translate preclinical discoveries into clinical applications
• RT-11 Who deserves what? A more focused pharmacological approach for sexual dysfunctions
• RT-09 Adolescentology – Is there anyone out there who may help me?
• RT-12 Gender differences – A novel biopsychological paradigm