Regenerative Therapies for Erectile Dysfunction
20m
Dimitris Hatzichristou
Professor of Urology
Trailer
Get AccessFull VideoContent: The treatment of organically induced erectile dysfunction has mostly focused on managing the symptoms (with PDE5i) rather than treating the dysfunction. However, it seems that we are moving into a new era, that of regenerative therapies. Today there is increased clinical interest in employing regenerative therapies, including low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT), platelet rich plasma (PRP), and stem cell therapy (SCT), in the treatment of ED. But still, clinicians are often confused as to what they can expect from these treatments. Dimitris Hatzichristou is a Professor of Urology and with his team they have been studying regenerative treatments for about 10 years. Specifically, with his team, they implemented many studies trying to find which is the best way to apply shock wave therapy and what kind of improvement one could expect. In addition, recently, he published the only randomized placebo-controlled study in order to assess the efficacy of PRP treatment for ED. These treatments are very frequently used in clinical practice, but not always in ways that conform with the available data. Triggered by two very recent publications*, Dimitris Hatzichristou shares key knowledge that stems from some of the most well conducted research studies. As professionals and patients often require a good understanding of what these treatments can do, this talk provides distilled information about why regenerative therapies are a game changer, what the most important clinical findings are and also how this knowledge applies to clinical practice.
*Poulios E, Mykoniatis I, Pyrgidis N, Zilotis F, Kapoteli P, Kotsiris D, Kalyvianakis D, Hatzichristou D. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Improves Erectile Function: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. J Sex Med. 2021 May;18(5):926-935.
Produced in 2022
Dimitris Hatzichristou
Professor of Urology
Lecturer
Dr. Dimitris Hatzichristou serves as Professor of Urology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and as President of the Institute for the Study of Urological Diseases (ISUD). After earning his MD and PhD at Aristotle University, Dr. Hatzichristou completed a three-year fellowship in Sexual Medicine at Boston University and served as a Visiting Scholar in Prostate Diseases at Stanford University.
He is a founder and former Secretary General and President of the European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM). He has served as a member of the Executive Committee of the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM), for a decade on the Guideline Committee of the European Association of Urology (EAU), and for 20 years as a Committee Chair of the International Consultation in Sexual Medicine. Through his leadership within ESSM, he initiated the provess for the recognition of Sexual Medicine as a European subspecialty by UEMS, and the establishment of the ESSM School.
Dr. Hatzichristou has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and 32 book chapters, accumulating more than 22,000 citations and an h-index of 60. In 2026 he received the European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM) Career Award, honoring a senior scientist whose work has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of sexual medicine. Hiw research interests included pathophysiology, pharmacotherapy and surgery of erectile dysfunction. He has also made important contributions to the understanding and management of Peyronie’s disease. He is consistently ranked among the Stanford University Top 2% of Scientists worldwide, placing within the top 0.5% in Medicine and among the top 0.1% of researchers in erectile dysfunction.
Guided by a strong translational vision, his research over the last 15 years has focused on regenerative therapies aimed at restoring tissue structure and function rather than merely alleviating symptoms. He contributed to establishing clinical protocols for low-intensity shockwave therapy, conducted the first double-blind clinical trial evaluating platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for erectile dysfunction, and is currently leading the first international clinical study investigating the therapeutic use of autologous exosomes.
An internationally sought-after speaker and educator, Dr. Hatzichristou has delivered more than 300 invited lectures and workshops worldwide. His work bridges fundamental science, clinical innovation, and translational medicine, contributing to the evolution of sexual medicine from a symptom-oriented field toward disease-modifying and regenerative therapeutic strategies.