68%
Early clinical improvement
34 of 50 patients met a predefined improvement threshold at six weeks in a 2023 prospective registry.
Nationwide virtual consultation inquiries · Tampa-based treatment
Could a venous leak be contributing to your erectile dysfunction?
Begin with a virtual consultation request from home. When clinically appropriate and permitted under applicable state telehealth rules, our team can review your history and available records remotely, discuss evaluation and treatment options, and help coordinate a Tampa visit only if in-person testing or treatment is needed.
Please do not send sensitive medical details by ordinary text message. Our team can explain secure next steps.
Understanding the condition
When erections are difficult to maintain, the cause deserves careful evaluation.
Venogenic erectile dysfunction describes difficulty maintaining an erection that may involve inadequate restriction of blood outflow from the penis. Erectile dysfunction can have multiple causes, including vascular, hormonal, neurologic, medication-related and psychological factors. Symptoms alone cannot confirm a venous leak.
Understand potential causes
Learn how blood flow, overall cardiovascular health and other factors may affect erectile function.
Learn moreDiscuss diagnostic options
Review your history and previous testing to determine whether further evaluation is appropriate.
Learn moreExplore treatment choices
Understand conventional therapies and selected procedures, including their limitations and uncertainties.
Learn moreIndividualized assessment
Diagnosis comes before treatment.
An appropriate evaluation may include a detailed medical and sexual history, medication review, laboratory assessment and, when clinically indicated, specialized vascular testing such as penile duplex Doppler ultrasound.
Invasive studies such as cavernosography are not necessary for every patient. Their potential role should be discussed with a qualified clinician.
What does the research say about embolization?
Published prospective registries report meaningful erectile-function improvement in approximately 59–68% of evaluable patients at their specified follow-up visits. Embolization may be an option for carefully selected patients with confirmed venogenic ED after discussion of alternatives, risks, and the limits of current evidence.
Published clinical research
Encouraging results from prospective studies
For carefully selected men with imaging-confirmed venogenic erectile dysfunction that has not responded adequately to oral medications, prospective studies of venous leak embolization report meaningful improvements in erectile function. Results depend on patient selection, how improvement is measured, and follow-up duration.
59.4%
Midterm clinical improvement
82 of 138 evaluable patients met the study's improvement threshold at approximately nine months in a 2026 multicenter registry.
99.5%
Procedural technical success
193 of 194 embolization procedures were technically successful in the 2026 registry. Technical success does not guarantee improved erections.
Study-reported outcomes, not VHVI-specific results or a prediction of individual benefit. The available evidence is predominantly uncontrolled; randomized comparative efficacy results were not identified in the literature summarized on our clinical evidence page. Important complications, including non-target embolization, can occur.
For patients across the United States
Start remotely. Travel only when needed.
Venous Leak Center is a specialty service of Vein, Heart and Vascular Institute in Tampa, Florida. Patients nationwide can request a virtual consultation as a first step. Where the physician is authorized to provide telehealth in the patient's state, the visit may include reviewing history, prior studies, and next steps. If further testing or an intervention is recommended, our team will coordinate a visit to Tampa. Some patients may need in-person diagnostic testing before treatment; telehealth eligibility, coverage, and clinical suitability must be confirmed.
1. Request a virtual visit
Call or text our scheduling team with your state of residence and ask about telehealth eligibility. Do not send medical details by SMS.
2. Review records remotely
When legally and clinically appropriate, discuss your history and prior tests by video visit; use a secure portal for records.
3. Travel for in-person care if needed
Arrange a Tampa visit for required examination, diagnostic procedures, or treatment only after the clinical plan is confirmed.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Can symptoms diagnose a venous leak?
No. ED symptoms are nonspecific and require a broader assessment.
Is embolization right for everyone?
No. It is not standard first-line ED therapy, and evidence and patient selection remain important considerations.
Can I start with a televisit?
Yes, you can request a remote consultation. Availability depends on your location, physician licensure, clinical needs, and coverage. Travel may be needed for testing as well as treatment.
Your care team
Specialized evaluation, grounded in clinical judgment.
Venous Leak Center is a specialty service of Vein, Heart and Vascular Institute in Tampa, Florida. Learn about the treating physician, Hesham A. Fakhri, M.D., and our approach to individualized assessment.
About our established practice
Explore Our Practice's Google Reviews
Venous Leak Center is an initiative of Vein, Heart and Vascular Institute, led by Hesham Fakhri, M.D. Explore public Google reviews associated with the practice and physician listings.
Google Maps
VHVI Tampa
Practice listing | Tampa, Florida
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VHVI Wesley Chapel
Practice listing | Wesley Chapel, Florida
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Hesham Fakhri, M.D.
Physician Google Business Profile
View physician reviewsThese reviews relate to Vein, Heart and Vascular Institute and its physician listings, not to a separately reviewed Venous Leak Center location. Reviews reflect individual experiences and do not guarantee outcomes.
Take the next step
Request a private virtual consultation.
Speak with the team about your concerns and the most appropriate way to begin an evaluation.