PhD candidate develops new device for diagnosing erectile dysfunction
Erection problems can have a huge impact on quality of life and health, but current diagnostic methods are painful, uncomfortable and technologically outdated. PhD candidate Evelien Trip has developed a new device that can measure erections more comfortably and painlessly.
Trip’s research began with a patient who refused to undergo an injection in his penis. ‘The injection was needed for the diagnosis, so it meant we couldn’t help him further.’ It is a problem Trip has encountered more often in her work as a doctor and sexologist, at that time at St Antonius Hospital. It inspired her to seek a modern, patient-friendly method for measuring erections.
Erectile dysfunction is the recurrent or temporary inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual activity. With erection problems, it is important to diagnose whether the cause is physical or psychological. One method involves measuring the nocturnal erections healthy men experience during REM sleep.
‘Some patients describe it as a torture device.’
Nocturnal erections are measured using two bands placed around the penis that are connected to a bulky device strapped to the patient’s leg. ‘Many patients find it difficult to sleep wearing this’, says Trip. ‘The bands periodically contract around the penis to take measurements. Some patients describe it as a torture device.’ In addition, the device is so old that it is incompatible with modern computers.
Promising results
Trip developed a smaller testing device that can be attached directly to the penis. She was helped by her husband Tim van Dam, who works with sensor technology to protect wild animals in Africa through Smart Parks. Combining their expertise, they soon developed a new sensor. ‘And I also had a ready-made test subject to try it out on at home’, she smiles.
The new device measures not only the blood flow but also the penis temperature for improved diagnostics. Tests with healthy men showed that the sensor successfully measured over 80 per cent of erections. ‘The results are promising but more testing is needed before the sensor can be approved for medical use.’
Further development
Trip hopes another PhD candidate will continue developing the device. ‘Or that a company is interested. The device could be adapted for consumer use, allowing people to check if everything is still working in the comfort of their own homes.’
Trip also sees potential in adapting the device to measure female erections. ‘Women have erectile tissue just like men, meaning they also experience erections. There’s little research on female erections in women, which is a real pity.’ Erectile dysfunction in men can be an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease. ‘It would be good to conduct just as much basic research in women.’
Other researchers or businesses interested in developing the sensor can contact Evelien Trip on LinkedIn. ‘That would be fantastic’, she says.