Venous leak is one cause of erectile dysfunction in which the trapped blood leaks back. It is difficult to understand, and I have these questions:
I will answer your questions in turn
WebMD in the linked article in your question states how Venous Leak can happen
It may happen with vascular disease.
Vascular diseases affect blood vessels. They lower blood flow to organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys. If they cut blood flow to the penis, they can cause erectile dysfunction. These diseases may be the cause of ED in as many as 50% to 70% of men who have it.
It’s also linked to diabetes, Peyronie's disease (a buildup of scar tissue in the penis that leads to curved, painful erections), some nerve conditions, and even severe anxiety.
For medical diagnosis, WebMD states that as well as your medical and sexual history, your doctor will check your penis and testicles to make sure they look normal and their nerves work as expected. He may also look for hair loss and larger-than-normal breasts. Both of these can be signs that you have a hormone problem.
He may also check your pulse at your wrists and ankles to see whether your blood flow is normal,listen to your heartbeat to make sure it sounds right, and take your blood pressure.
Based on your physical exam, as well as looking at your medical and sexual history, your doctor may want to order certain blood or urine tests, or even an overnight erection test.
If it looks more likely that a mental or emotional issue is the source of the problem, your doctor will ask you standard questions about your mental well-being. They help him/her check for depression, anxiety, and other common causes of erectile dysfunction.
WebMD at this page gives a list of possible treatments depending on the results of the medical examination, including:
This as a last resort (if all else fails). These can include placement of an implant (prosthesis) in the penis or vascular reconstruction surgery to improve blood flow to or reduce blood leakage from the penis and surrounding structures. This procedure works in very few cases.
Venous leakage refers to the inability to trap blood in the penis. Remember that arteries pump blood into the penis, and veins allow blood to flow out. If the veins don't properly constrict, the blood will flow out, and the man will lose his erection.
How does venous leak develop?
There are a number of causes for venous leakage. It can be linked to general vascular health, diabetes, Peyronie's Disease, and even injuries. It generally develops over time, as the underlying cause becomes more severe.
What is done to diagnose someone with venous leak?
The first diagnostic tool is simple observation... if you are able to achieve an erection, but lose it quickly, that is an indicator of venous leakage.
To confirm the diagnosis, a doctor might use a duplex ultrasound to observe the flow of blood in the penis.
Are there effective treatments, such as surgery?
If the leakage is mild, you can compensate for it using typical ED treatments such as Cialis or Viagra. Some men have good results with a constriction band, or "cock ring," which helps trap the blood in the penis.
In some cases surgery may be advised.
At what stage surgery is needed?
Vascular reconstruction surgery can, in some cases, repair venous leakage.
This is generally advised only when the ultrasound shows a clearly correctable condition, and particular if the patient is young and in good health. In these circumstance, the surgery may results in a complete cure of the condition.
