Cavernous nerves of penis

Nerve: Cavernous nerves of penis
Latin	nervi cavernosi penis
Gray's	subject #220 989
From	prostatic plexus

The cavernous nerves are post-ganglionic parasympathetic nerves that facilitate penile erection. They arise from cell bodies in the inferior hypogastric plexus where they receive the pre-ganglionic pelvic splanchnic nerves (S2-S4).

There are both lesser cavernous nerves and a greater cavernous nerve.

Clinical considerations

These nerves are susceptible to injury following prostatectomy.

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.^[1] This test aids the surgeon in identifying the nerves, which are difficult to see.^[2]

References

^ Dr. Peter Scardino's Prostate Book, Avery, 2005
^ Blue Torch [1] December 2007

Gray's Anatomy, 1918 edition

Nerves – autonomic nervous system (sympathetic nervous system/ganglion/trunks and parasympathetic nervous system/ganglion) (TA A14.3, GA 9.968)

Head/
cranial

Sympathetic	Ciliary ganglion: roots (Sensory, Sympathetic) · Short ciliary

Parasympathetic	Ciliary ganglion: roots (Sensory, Parasympathetic) · Short ciliary Pterygopalatine ganglion: deep petrosal · nerve of pterygoid canal branches of distribution: greater palatine (inferior posterior nasal branches) · lesser palatine · nasopalatine (medial superior posterior nasal branches) · pharyngeal Submandibular ganglion Otic ganglion

Neck/
cervical

Sympathetic	paravertebral ganglia: Cervical ganglia (Superior, Middle, Inferior) · Stellate ganglion prevertebral plexus: Cavernous plexus · Internal carotid

Chest/
thorax

Sympathetic	paravertebral ganglia: Thoracic ganglia prevertebral plexus: Cardiac plexus · Esophageal plexus · Pulmonary plexus · Thoracic aortic plexus splanchnic nerves: cardiopulmonary · thoracic cardiac nerves: Superior · Middle · Inferior

Abdomen/
Lumbar

Sympathetic	paravertebral ganglia: Lumbar ganglia prevertebral ganglia: Celiac ganglia (Aorticorenal) · Superior mesenteric ganglion · Inferior mesenteric ganglion prevertebral plexus: Celiac plexus · (Hepatic, Splenic, Pancreatic) · aorticorenal (Abdominal aortic plexus, Renal/Suprarenal) · Superior mesenteric (Gastric) · Inferior mesenteric (Spermatic, Ovarian) · Superior hypogastric (hypogastric nerve, Superior rectal) · Inferior hypogastric (Vesical, Prostatic/Cavernous nerves of penis, Uterovaginal, Middle rectal) splanchnic nerves: Lumbar splanchnic nerves

Enteric	Meissner's plexus · Auerbach's plexus

Pelvis/
sacral

Sympathetic	paravertebral ganglia: Sacral ganglia · Ganglion impar splanchnic nerves: Sacral splanchnic nerves

Parasympathetic	splanchnic nerves: Pelvic splanchnic nerves

M: PNS

anat(h/r/t/c/b/l/s/a)/phys(r)/devp/prot/nttr/nttm/ntrp

noco/auto/cong/tumr, sysi/epon, injr

proc, drug(N1B)