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Electrocautery‐induced cavernous nerve injury in rats that mimics radical prostatectomy in humans
Author(s) -
Song LuJie,
Zhu JianQiang,
Xie MinKai,
Wang YongChuan,
Li HongBin,
Cui ZhiQiang,
Lu HongKai,
Xu YueMin
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1111/bju.12348
Subject(s) - medicine , urology , nerve injury , neurofilament , erectile dysfunction , prostatectomy , rat model , staining , masson's trichrome stain , mean arterial pressure , immunohistochemistry , surgery , endocrinology , pathology , blood pressure , prostate , heart rate , cancer
Objective To investigate the early and delayed effects of cavernous nerve electrocautery injury ( CNEI ) in a rat model, with the expectation that this model could be used to test rehabilitation therapies for erectile dysfunction ( ED ) after radical prostatectomy ( RP ).Materials and Methods In all, 30 male S prague‐ D awley rats were randomly divided equally into two groups (15 per group). The control group received CNs exposure surgery only and the experimental group received bilateral CNEI . At 1, 4 and 16 weeks after surgery (five rats at each time point), the ratio of maximal intracavernosal pressure ( ICP ) to mean arterial pressure ( MAP ) was measured in the two groups. Neurofilament expression in the dorsal penile nerves was assessed by immunofluorescent staining and M asson's trichrome staining was used to assess the smooth muscle to collagen ratio in both groups.Results At the 1‐week follow‐up, the mean ICP / MAP was significantly lower in the CNEI group compared with the control group, at 9.94% vs 70.06% ( P < 0.05). The mean ICP / MAP in the CNEI group was substantially increased at the 4‐ (35.97%) and 16‐week (37.11%) follow‐ups compared with the 1‐week follow‐up ( P < 0.05). At all three follow‐up time points, the CNEI group had significantly decreased neurofilament staining compared with the control group ( P < 0.05). Also, neurofilament expressions in the CNEI group at both 4 and 16 weeks were significantly higher than that at 1 week ( P < 0.05), but there was no difference between 4 and 16 weeks ( P > 0.05). The smooth muscle to collagen ratio in the CNEI group was significantly lower than in the control group at the 4‐ and 16‐week follow‐ups ( P < 0.05), and the ratio at 16 weeks was further reduced compared with that at 4 weeks ( P < 0.05).Conclusions In the CNEI rat model, we found the damaging effects of CNEI were accompanied by a decline in ICP , reduced numbers of nerve fibres in the dorsal penile nerve, and exacerbated fibrosis in the corpus cavernosum. This may provide a basis for studying potential preventative measures or treatment strategies to ameliorate ED caused by CNEI during RP .