ED and Bilateral Nerve Sparing

Well , one of the side efects of prostate cancer and surgery is erectile dysfunction. Lots have been written about this subject and its one of the prime reasons for getting one of the best surgeons you can who understands and specializes in the techniques to save the nerves.

There is a good article at http://urology.jhu.edu/prostate/erectyle_dyssfunction.php which explains the ins a out and also gives a good picture from the Amercian Medical Association that shows where the nerves are that control erections and you can see these in relation to the prostate that is to be removed. I have included this picture below:

A. Lateral view of the male pelvis illustrating the course and distribution of the left cavernous nerve fiber, as part of the left neurovascular bundle within intrapelvic fascia coverings. The cavernous nerve travels from the pelvicplexus proximally to the penis distally, in close anatomical relationship to the seminal vesicle, prostate, striated urethral sphincter, bladder, and rectum.

B. Anterosuperior oblique view of the same anatomical structures.

C. Anterosuperior oblique view illustrating preservation of the cavernous nervesafter bilateral nerve-sparing prostatectomy and bladder neck anastomosis to theurethral stump. The cavernous nerve fibers are preserved by division and clip-ping of small prostatic nerves alongside the prostate. When non-nerve-sparingsurgery is required for cancer eradication either unilaterally or bilaterally, wide excision of periprostatic soft tissue includes the cavernous nerves en block withthe removed surgical specimen.

Today was a massive day for me as during showering there was definate movement down under - so much so that I encouraged it ( on the basis of research that has said you need to exercise it so that you dont suffer from cell death - cells in the penis do not regenerate as cells in the rest of the body do ).  The result of this encouragement was definate growth - showing that blood was circulating again and also those nerves are starting to work. Often the bruising and battering the nerves take during surgery mean a long recouperation time. You do hear of no life , even after nerve sparing, for up to two years. This exercise resulted in my first ever 'dry orgasm' weird sensation for a bloke - but things are looking up! 

Will be reporting in these results as well as the continence progress to Mr Donerty and his team when I see them next week.