Nerve Mapping for Prostatectomies: Novel Technologies under Development
Prostatic neuroanatomy is difficult to visualize intraoperatively and can be extremely variable. Damage to these nerves during prostatectomies may lead to post-operative complications such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence. This review aims to discuss the prostatic neuroanatomy, sites of potential nerve damage during a prostatectomy, and nerve mapping technologies being developed to prevent neural injury. These technologies include stimulation, dyes, and direct visualization. Nerve stimulation works by testing an area and observing a physiologic response but is limited by the long half life for an erectile response; examples include CaverMap, ProPep, and optical nerve stimulation. Few nerve dyes have been ...
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