Genitofemoral nerve graft repair the ablated cavernous nerves in rats

To investigate the feasibility of repairing surgically ablated cavernous nerves by using an interposition genitofemoral nerve graft and with nerve growth enhancing media (insulin-like growth factor-Ⅰ,IGF-Ⅰ) injection.Methods A total of 54 male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (each of 18 rats),including sham operation controls,bilateral cavernous nerve ablation and nerve graft with IGF-Ⅰ injection groups.At 1,3 and 6 months after surgery,the rat models were evaluated with Apomorphine Test.Then nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) staining was used to identify nNOS in penile nerve fibers of the proximal portion of penile shaft.Results At 1,3 and 6 months after surgery,the rats of sham operation group had normal erectile function (erection rate,100%),while the rats of nerve ablation group lost erectile function at all (erection rate,0%).There was no statistically significant difference of ED between the nerve ablation and nerve graft groups at 1 month;however,at 3 and 6 months,Apomorphine Test resulted in tumescence of 50% and 66.7% of the nerve graft groups vs 0% and 0% of the nerve ablation groups,respectively (P<0.05).Furthermore,the number of NOS-containing nerve fibers in the nerve graft group showed a significant increase at 3 months and 6 months postoperatively,while that of the nerve ablation group had no increase (P<0.002).Conclusion In the ED model caused by bilateral cavernous nerve injury,immediately nerve graft repair technique with the addition of nerve growth enhancing media injection appears to be a surccessful method of salvaging erectile function in rats.11 refs,1 tab.