Endocrine Abstracts

Background: The most efficacious and acceptable form of testosterone replacement therapy remains a matter of debate. Proponents of testosterone implant therapy suggest implant therapy is the most acceptable form to patients with high continuation rates. Current practise within our hospital has led to increasing numbers of patients receiving implant therapy.
Methods: We performed a retrospective postal questionnaire to determine the views of our implant recipients. Recipients were asked to report continuation rates complication rates and to assess their satisfaction of testosterone implant therapy.
Results: Fifty-three patients (age range 16-77) responded of which 21 (43%) had received more than five implants. The total number of implant procedures exceeded two hundred and fifty. Forty-four people (81%) had experienced at least one alternative form of testosterone replacement therapy. The continuation rate of implant therapy was 87.8%, only two of those who had discontinued therapy did so because of lack of satisfaction with implant therapy.
Following insertion 37 (76%) had never had a pellet extrusion, and 39 (80%) had never had an infection.
In comparison to other forms of testosterone therapy, 35 (88%) rated implant therapy as better or much better and 40 (83%) felt it convenient or very convenient. Well-being, sex drive and quality of erection were assessed between 0 (very poor)-10 (very good) .The percentages rating each attribute above seven were 58%, 56% and 50% respectively.
Conclusion: This study has shown that at present testosterone implant therapy is the preferred route of testosterone replacement therapy amongst patients.