Restoration Of Penile Afferent Pathway Through Transposition Of Cutaneous Branch Of Genitofemoral Nerve Into Dorsal Penile Nerve In Rats

Objective: To explore the feasibility of the penile afferent pathway by the cutaneous branch of the genitofemoral nerve to the dorsal nerve of penile transfer in rats.Methods: 54 male rats of SD were randomly divided into 3 group.Model group: the distal DNP was anastomosed to the proximal CGN through end-to-end neurorrhaphy.Resection group: DNP was severed and ligated,and no end-to-end anastomosis was performed.Sham group: only a surgical incision was made in the sham group,and no nerve injury was caused.After the operation,the feasibility of reconstructing the penile afferent pathway was explored by fluorescent-gold retrograde neural labeling.The intracavernous pressure assessment was then carried out.The morphological examination,histological staining of nerves,and ultrastructural observation were performed accordingly.Results: Fluorescent-gold labeled L1 and L2 neurons in the model group were positive.The mean ICP in the model group was(12.02±2.03 mm Hg),which is higher than the mean value in the resection group(0mm Hg,P<0.05)but lower than that in the sham group(36.95±5.33 mm Hg;P<0.05).Morphological observation of nerve tissue showed that DNP regenerated well in the model group,which was close to the level of the sham operation group,and DNP in the resection group disintegrated and degenerated.Conclusion: This experiment preliminarily proved the feasibility of restoration of the penile afferent pathway by CGN to DNP transfer in Rats.