Hydro-Jet Dissection of the Cavernous Nerves Preserves Erection Function in a Radical Prostatectomy Animal Model.

Background: Postoperative erectile dysfunction (ED) remains a prevalent consequence of radical prostatectomy (RP) that significantly impacts patient quality of life. Water-jet technology is widely used for dissection in neurosurgical procedures but novel to urologic surgery.

Aim: To establish the impact of hydro-jet dissection (HJD) of the cavernous nerves (CN) on postoperative erectile function in an animal model of RP-induced ED.

Daily administration of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors for urological and nonurological indications.

Objectives: Although the discovery of phosphodiesterases (PDEs) was made soon after the identification of cyclic adenosine monophosphate nearly half a century ago, their true importance in medicine has taken many decades to be realised. The recognition of the important role PDE enzymes play and the impact of altering intracellular cyclic nucleotide levels became significant for most urologists and clinicians in the early 1990s with the discovery of sildenafil, a PDE5 inhibitor (PDE5-I). Once approved around the world, on-demand use of PDE5-Is became the gold standard.