Cavernous nerves of penis
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| Nerve: Cavernous nerves of penis | |
|---|---|
| Latin | nervi cavernosi penis |
| Gray's | subject #220 989 |
| From | prostatic plexus |
| Dorlands / Elsevier | n_05/12565353 |
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 an causing erectile dysfunction complications. During surgery, a doctor may apply a small electrical stimulation to the nerve and measure the erectile function.[1] This test aid the surgeon in identifying the difficult to see nerves.[2]
References
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .

