Background

Aesthetic procedures for penile enhancement, such as the Penuma silicone sleeve implant, have gained increasing attention for addressing concerns like perceived size, buried or retractile penis, and mild curvature.

Aim

To assess the online search interest over time for penile enhancement modalities, analyze the trends, and explore any regional disparities in search patterns.

Methods

Google Trends data from June 18, 2018, to June 11, 2023, were utilized to analyze search interest for Penuma, penile implant, penile girth, Hyaluronic acid (HLA) injection, and penis injection. The results were compared to the trend data for Penuma from 2004 to 2023. Trendlines were generated to assess the changes in search interest over time and determine if they followed a random or polynomial trend. The highest search interest locations were identified for each term, and the corresponding regional gross domestic product values were collected.

Outcomes

Search interest was assessed in terms of volume, temporal trends, and regional disparities.

Clinical implications

Understanding regional and temporal search patterns for penile enhancement can guide healthcare professionals and policymakers in developing targeted educational initiatives and allocating resources to meet patient needs.

Strengths and limitations

The use of Google Trends provides a comprehensive and real-time assessment of public interest over a broad timeframe and geographic range. However, search interest data may not fully capture actual patient behaviors or clinical demand, and the analysis relies on assumptions about search terms accurately reflecting consumer intent.

Results

Penuma initially garnered interest upon its introduction in 2004 but experienced a decline until around March 2021. Comparing Penuma with other terms, general searches for penile implant and penile girth exhibited significantly higher interest than Penuma. The trendlines indicated increasing search interest for penile implant and HLA injection, while Penuma demonstrated a declining trend. In terms of regional disparities, the highest search interest for Penuma was observed in San Antonio, TX, while penile girth searches were highest in Oklahoma City, OK. Penile implant searches were prominent in Mobile, AL, and Birmingham, AL. Notably, HLA injection searches peaked in New York, NY, and penis injection searches were most prevalent in Los Angeles, CA.

Conclusion

This study reveals that online interest in Penuma lags other penile enhancement terms, with notable regional disparities in search patterns. These findings underscore the need for further research to understand the factors influencing these trends and to help healthcare professionals tailor educational efforts and resources to diverse consumer needs.

Purpose

The use of alternative treatment modalities for erectile dysfunction (ED) beyond phosphodiesterase inhibitors continues to grow within the practice of Urology. Utilizing U.S. Google trends as a novel epidemiological tool for geographically associating patient search intent, our study aims to capture trends relating to interest in stem cell therapy (SCT) as a potential treatment for ED.

Methods

An online search was conducted to identify centers in the United States offering stem cell therapy (SCT) for erectile dysfunction (ED), using specific keywords such as "ED treatment," "stem cells for ED," and "sexual health stem cell." The geographic distribution of these centers was mapped, and their publicly available information was evaluated based on strict inclusion criteria, including direct claims of SCT efficacy for ED and oversight by a licensed urologist. The public interest in SCT treatment was quantified using Google Trends data from July 2018 to July 2023, utilizing search terms related to SCT and comparing them to terms associated with alternative regenerative therapies like platelet-rich plasma and shockwave treatments, to extract the direction and magnitude of national interest over the preceding 5 years. The PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases were then searched from inception to May 2024 regarding evidence for the use of SCT to treat ED.

Results

Despite insufficient evidence, public search interest demonstrates an upward trajectory of this treatment when compared to alternative regenerative therapies for ED. This increased interest in SCT as a potential treatment option for ED may be linked to the marketing efforts of commercial entities. Throughout the qualitative analysis of advertisement sources, only two websites (Stem Cells Transplant Institute, and Ambrose Cell Therapy) summarized the collective results of a directed clinical trial investigating the utility of SCT in ED patients.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates the public prevalence of patients seeking SCT as a treatment modality for ED is increasing. In addition, varied sources nationwide promote SCT despite limited scientific evidence and consensus. This disparity calls for additional prospective research on the viability, efficacy, and long-term safety of SCT in the context of ED.