ED treatment begins with diagnosis — not with prescribing the most profitable option. Dr. Kim uses IIEF-5 scoring and penile colour Doppler ultrasound to identify whether your ED is vascular, neurogenic, or hormonal before recommending any treatment. The treatment ladder starts at the least invasive effective option.
ED treatment at Seomyeon L is matched to severity and cause. Mild-moderate vascular ED: shockwave therapy (LiSWT) — the only treatment targeting the underlying cause, 6 sessions, no downtime. Moderate-severe: ICI injection (90%+ efficacy regardless of cause). Refractory ED: AMS 700 penile implant — 92–95% satisfaction at 5 years. Oral PDE5 inhibitors (sildenafil/tadalafil) dispensed in-clinic for appropriate cases. All options available in the same clinic, same consultation.
Most ED patients who contact Seomyeon L Urology have already tried sildenafil or tadalafil — sometimes with good results, sometimes with none. The reason oral medications fail varies: insufficient dose, incorrect use (requires sexual stimulation), severe arterial disease, neurogenic cause, or hormonal insufficiency. Without understanding why the medication failed, the next treatment recommendation is guesswork.
First-line for mild-moderate ED. Korean-manufactured generics available at fraction of branded price. Dr. Kim checks for nitrate contraindications and cardiac history before prescribing. Not effective for severe arterial disease or nerve-damage ED.
Efficacy: 65–80% mild-moderate. Cost: $95–$160 consult + RX.
6-session course over 3 weeks. Stimulates angiogenesis in penile vasculature — the only ED treatment that addresses the underlying vascular cause rather than compensating for it. Efficacy 60–75% in vasculogenic ED. Zero downtime per session.
Requires 3-week stay. Cost: $1,100–$1,400 per course.
Self-administered alprostadil injection directly into the corpora. 90%+ efficacy regardless of ED cause — this is the clinical advantage. Training session in clinic; English protocol sheet provided. Max 3×/week. Priapism risk 0.9% — emergency protocol briefed at training.
Cost: $280–$360 training + supply. Self-administer at home thereafter.
Definitive option for refractory ED (failed ICI, post-prostatectomy, Peyronie's disease). 92–95% satisfaction at 5 years — highest of any ED treatment. Recovery 6–8 weeks. Lifetime warranty (AMS 700 CX).
Minimum 10-day Busan stay. Cost: $9,500–$12,000 all-in.
| Treatment | Best for | Efficacy | Downtime | USD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral PDE5 | Mild–moderate | 65–80% | None | $95–$160 |
| LiSWT Shockwave | Vascular ED | 60–75% | None per session | $1,100–$1,400 |
| ICI Injection | Moderate–severe | 90%+ | None after training | $280–$360 |
| AMS 700 Implant | Refractory | 92–95% satisfied | 6–8 weeks | $9,500–$12,000 |
ED consultations are among the most sensitive encounters in men's healthcare. At Seomyeon L Urology's 14F Lotte Hotel location, patients arrive through the hotel lobby like any guest. There is no visible medical reception desk from a public corridor, no other patients in a shared waiting room visible to you. The consultation room is private and soundproofed.
For foreign patients who come from countries where urology care is not easily accessible privately, this discretion matters. The consultation is in English — directly with Dr. Kim, with no interpreter present.
| Treatment | Minimum Stay |
|---|---|
| Oral PDE5 consultation + RX | 1 day |
| LiSWT shockwave (6 sessions) | 3 weeks |
| ICI training session | 2 days |
| AMS 700 penile implant | 10–14 days |
Not necessarily. Oral PDE5 inhibitor failure has several common causes: subtherapeutic dose (many GPs start at the lowest dose to minimise side effects — the therapeutic dose is often higher), incorrect use (sildenafil requires sexual stimulation and should be taken 45–60 minutes before activity without a heavy meal), or a cause that genuinely does not respond to oral medication (severe arterial insufficiency, nerve damage, hypogonadism). Dr. Kim runs a Doppler ultrasound and hormone panel to identify which of these applies before recommending next steps.
Yes, and for many patients this is encouraged. ED affects both partners, and having the partner present for the treatment explanation means they understand recovery restrictions, realistic outcome expectations, and the timeline to resumed sexual activity. Dr. Kim has conducted many consultations with partners present and adjusts the discussion accordingly. If you prefer to consult alone first and bring your partner to a follow-up, that is also standard.
The Doppler ultrasound itself is not painful — it is performed with a standard ultrasound probe. The pharmacostimulation injection (alprostadil into the corpora) causes a brief, sharp discomfort at the injection site, typically rated 3–4/10 and lasting a few seconds. The resulting pharmacologically-induced erection allows the blood flow measurement to be taken under conditions that replicate the physiological state being assessed. The entire assessment takes 20–30 minutes.
Free 20-minute video consultation in English. Send any recent bloodwork or previous ED diagnostic results for a specific recommendation before you book travel.
Book Confidential ED Consult →Treatment Tiers
Dr. Kim Yang-hu's ED treatment protocol starts at the least invasive tier appropriate for cause and severity. All four tiers are available at Seomyeon L — with the Lotte Hotel 14F privacy advantage at every step.
| Tier | Treatment | IIEF-5 Range | USD at Seomyeon L | USA Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | PDE5 Inhibitors (sildenafil/tadalafil 5mg daily) | 17–21 | $200–$400 (3-month supply) | $400–$800 |
| Tier 2 | LiSWT Shockwave Therapy (6 sessions) | 12–21 | $1,100–$1,400 all-in | $3,000–$5,500 |
| Tier 3 | ICI Injection Training (alprostadil/combination) | 8–16 | $350–$500 (training + kit) | $600–$1,000 |
| Tier 4 | Penile Implant (AMS 700 CX or Coloplast) | 1–11 or Tier 1–3 failure | $9,800–$12,200 all-in | $20,000–$28,000 |
The Lotte Hotel 14F location means post-LiSWT sessions and ICI training are conducted with complete privacy — no waiting room shared with other patients, hotel elevator from your room directly to the clinic floor.
Diagnosis Protocol
The IIEF-5 (International Index of Erectile Function) is completed at pre-consultation. Score 1–7 = severe ED, 8–11 = moderate, 12–16 = mild-moderate, 17–21 = mild, 22–25 = no ED. Score determines initial tier but cause determines treatment — both are assessed.
Performed with pharmacological stimulation (ICI of alprostadil). Measures PSV (peak systolic velocity) and EDV (end-diastolic velocity) in cavernosal arteries. PSV <25 cm/s = arterial insufficiency (responds to LiSWT). EDV >5 cm/s = venous leak (may require implant). Normal PSV with normal EDV = psychogenic or neurogenic (responds less to shockwave).
| Doppler Result | Cause | Best Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| PSV <25, EDV normal | Arterial insufficiency | LiSWT shockwave |
| PSV normal, EDV >5 | Venous leak | ICI or implant |
| PSV normal, EDV normal | Psychogenic / neurogenic | PDE5i; ICI if needed |
| PSV <25, EDV >5 | Mixed vascular | ICI or implant |
ED is the condition patients most often cite as a reason to choose Seomyeon L over a street-facing clinic. The hotel elevator means no shared waiting area with other patients, no visible 'urology clinic' signage from the hotel lobby, and check-in through the standard hotel reception.
Dr. Kim conducts all consultations in English directly. There is no interpreter relay — you speak directly with the urologist performing your procedure.
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