THE EFFECT OF PHARMACOLOGICAL ERECTION ON THE DORSAL NERVE OF THE PENIS

The dorsal nerve of the penis (DNP) is the primary source of afferent somatic input from the penis and is critical in the male sexual functi ons of erection and ejaculation. Using genitourinary electrodiagnostic techniques, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of pha rmacologic erection on the DNP. Three tests were administered, and the changes in the DNP between flaccid, stretched, and erect states were examined. Calculated nerve conduction velocity (cNCV) measurements of the DNP increased with pharmacologic erection because mechanical strai ghtening of the nerve allowed for a more precise measurement of nerve length. The latencies of the cortical evoked response and the bulbocav ernosus reflex were not significantly changed with stretch or pharmaco logic erection. In the evaluation of impotence, cNCV DNP measurements should be performed on the erect penis. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, In c.