The nature of spontaneous cavernosal activity

Objective To determine the characteristics of spontaneous cavernosal activi ty (SCA) and to relate this to previous descriptions of spontaneous potenti als from the cavernosum (single potential analysis of cavernosal activity, SPACE), Subjects and methods The SCA was recorded in 31 normal men with no sexual p roblems; various manipulations were applied using concentric-needle (CN), b ipolar needle (BN) and surface electrodes. The electrical activity was comp ared with the observed slow retractile movements of the flaccid penis and w ith other assessments of electrical activity from skin, Results SCA appeared synchronously from both sides of the cavernosal bodies in all normal subjects when detected by CN electrodes. The synchronous rec ordings both by CN and BN electrodes, or both by CN and surface electrodes registered similar oscillatory potentials. Slow retractile movements of the penis occurred synchronously with these potentials in all subjects and bot h were absent during erection. Conclusion SCA is apparently related to biomechanical slow movement artefac ts of the flaccid penis; it may be a consequence of the summed contractions of smooth muscle groups in the cavernosum Observing the small retractile s low movements of the flaccid penis and recording the SCA may be a useful in direct method to characterize cavernosal neural innervation and smooth musc le activity.