The cavernous nerves are
post-ganglionic parasympathetic nerves that facilitate
penile erection
An erection (clinically: penile erection or penile tumescence) is a physiological phenomenon in which the penis becomes firm, engorged, and enlarged. Penile erection is the result of a complex interaction of psychological, neural, vascular, ...
and
clitoral erection
Clitoral erection is a physiological phenomenon where the clitoris becomes enlarged and firm.
Clitoral erection is the result of a complex interaction of psychological, neural, vascular, and endocrine factors, and is usually, though not exclu ...
. They arise from cell bodies in the
inferior hypogastric plexus where they receive the
pre-ganglionic pelvic splanchnic nerves (S2-S4).
In the penis, there are both lesser cavernous nerves and a greater cavernous nerve.
Clinical considerations
These nerves are susceptible to injury following
prostatectomy
Prostatectomy (from the Greek , "prostate" and , "excision") as a medical term refers to the surgical removal of all or part of the prostate gland. This operation is done for benign conditions that cause urinary retention, as well as for pros ...
or
genital surgery.
Nerve-Sparing prostatectomy was invented for surgeons to avoid injuring the nerves and causing erectile dysfunction complications. During surgery, a doctor may apply a small electrical stimulation to the nerve and measure the erectile function with a
penile plethysmograph
Penile plethysmography (PPG) or phallometry is measurement of blood flow to the penis, typically used as a proxy for measurement of sexual arousal. The most commonly reported methods of conducting penile plethysmography involve the measurement of ...
. This test aids the surgeon in identifying the nerves, which are difficult to see.
[Blue Torc]
December 2007
References
External links
Gray's Anatomy, 1918 edition
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Parasympathetic nervous system
Human penis anatomy