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Cavernous nerves of penis
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The cavernous nerves are post-ganglionic parasympathetic nerves that facilitate penile erection. They arise from cell bodies in the inferior hypogastric plexus where they receive the pre-ganglionic pelvic splanchnic nerves (S2-S4).
There are both lesser cavernous nerves and a greater cavernous nerve.
Clinical considerations
These nerves are susceptible to injury following prostatectomy.
Nerve-Sparing prostatectomy was invented for surgeons to avoid injuring the nerves and causing erectile dysfunction complications. During surgery, a doctor may apply a small electrical stimulation to the nerve and measure the erectile function with a penile plethysmograph.[1] This test aids the surgeon in identifying the difficult to see nerves.[2]
References
- ^ Dr. Peter Scardino's Prostate Book, Avery, 2005
- ^ Blue Torch [1] December 2007
Gray's Anatomy, 1918 edition
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