Restoration of erectile function by reconstructing cavernous nerves with small intestinal submucosa grafts
LU Hong-kai
ZHOU Hai-jun
GAO En-jiang
SONG Lu-jie
ZUO Hai-zhen
YAN Bo
YU Zhi-yong
DU Jing
BI Wen-hua
Abstract：Objective: To investigate the restoration of erectile function by reconstructing cavernous nerves (CN) with small in-testinal submucosa (SIS) grafts. Methods: We prepared SIS grafts, established rat models and divided the models into a CN abla-tion, a sham-operation and an SIS graft group. The CNs at both sides were severed with 1 cm ablated in the first group, and 0.5 cm re-moved in the third, followed by reconstruction with the SIS grafts. Three months after surgery, the apomorphine test was performed to evaluate the erectile function, and then all the rats were sacrificed to detect the expression of nNOS in the penis. Results: Penile erection was observed in 72.73% (8/11) of the rats for (1.07±0.89) times within 30 min in the SIS graft group, as compared with 0% (0/11) of the rats for (0.00±0.00) times in the CN ablation group (P < 0.01), and 90.91% (10/11) of the rats for (2.19±1.17) times in the sham-operation group (P < 0.01). The number of nNOS nerve fibers was significantly larger in the SIS graft than in the CN ablation group (70.36±10.09 versus 22.09±4.76, P < 0.01), but both were significantly smaller than that of the sham-operation group (90.81±5.69, P < 0.01). Conclusion: The SIS grafting technique contributes to the recanalizationof the severed CN and restoration of erectile function in rats after surgical injury.
Keywords：cavernous nervesmall intestinal submucosaerectile functionneuronal nitric oxide synthaserat
Publication Date：2010-01-31
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：4( 150-153 )