FUNCTIONAL-ANATOMY OF CAVERNOUS HELICINE ARTERIOLES IN POTENT SUBJECTS

Purpose: We investigated the morphological and functional features of cavernous helicine arterioles in male potent subjects. Materials and M ethods: Ten young men reporting normal rigid erections which were conf irmed by polysomnographic recording underwent power Doppler sonography of the cavernous helicine arterioles during flaccidity, after intraca vernous injection of alprostadil, and after subsequent genital and aud iovisual sexual stimulation. Results: During flaccidity the helicine a rterioles were never detected by power Doppler imaging while they beca me evident in all cases after alprostadil injection, They usually orig inated from the cavernous artery forming an acute angle and showed 3 o rders of ramifications, Systolic and diastolic flow was present. After genital and audiovisual sexual stimulation, and achievement of maximu m rigidity, the helicine arterioles were still evident but with only 1 or 2 orders of distal ramifications, Only systolic flow was present. During penile tumescence the helicine arterioles disappeared in all ca ses. Conclusions: Using power Doppler sonography it is possible to inv estigate the functional anatomy of the cavernous helicine arterioles d uring the various phases of the erectile cycle. Our preliminary study suggests that the helicine arterioles are functionally inactive during penile flaccidity while they are activated during penile tumescence a nd continue to supply blood to the corpora also during maximum penile rigidity.