A small battery-powered electrical device called a vPatch may be a future treatment option for premature ejaculation (PE), according to the results of a recent study.

The International Society of Sexual Medicine (ISSM) defines PE as the inability to delay ejaculation in all or nearly all vaginal penetrations, causing negative personal consequences such as distress and frustration.

PE is a frustrating condition that affects an estimated 20% to 30% of sexually active men. It can either be a lifelong condition (having been present since a person’s first sexual experience) or an acquired condition (obtained at some point later in life).

Intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT), which is the time from the moment of vaginal penetration until the moment of ejaculation, is a commonly used measure for assessing PE. By the ISSM’s definition of PE, individuals with the condition have an IELT of less than 2 minutes in at least 75% of sexual attempts, with no attempts greater than 3 minutes.

Currently, treatment options for PE include applying a topical anesthetic to the penis before sex to dull the sensations and prolong the time before ejaculation, or using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medications to delay ejaculation. Dapoxetine, an oral medication for PE, has been approved by the European Medical Agency but not by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In contrast, the vPatch strives to delay ejaculation by delivering transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) to the perineum (the area between the anus and the scrotum) to contract the muscles responsible for ejaculation. This device is a small, flexible patch that adheres to the skin in this area and delivers its electrical stimulation through two electrodes.

Recently, the vPatch was tested in a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial that included men with lifelong PE from two research centers: Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, Israel and Villa Donatello Hospital in Florence, Italy.

A total of 51 PE patients completed the study. They were randomized to the vPatch and control groups in a 2:1 ratio, so 34 patients were in the active group and 17 were in the control group. To test the efficacy of the device, all participants recorded their IELT during intercourse 4 times without the vPatch, then again 4 times with the active- or sham-configured vPatch. (For the control group, the vPatch was configured to deliver a low intensity electrical stimulation that was not strong enough to contract the ejaculatory muscles).

In the end, the patients in the vPatch group significantly increased their average IELT from 67 seconds (without the device) to 123 seconds (with the device). The patients in the control group, on the other hand, saw an insignificant increase in their average IELT from 63 seconds to 81 seconds. Fortunately, no serious adverse effects were reported.

These findings suggest that the vPatch may be a safe way to extend ejaculation times for men with PE. Nevertheless, further research is necessary to determine if this possible treatment option could truly make a difference in the lives of PE patients.

References:

• Shechter, A., Mondaini, N., Serefoglu, E.C., Gollan, T., Deutsch, F., Appel, B., & Gruenwald, I. (2023). A novel on-demand therapy for lifelong premature ejaculation using a miniature transperineal electrical stimulator—the vPatch: an as-treated analysis. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 20(1), 22-29. https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdac012