Cavernous nerves of penis

Nerve: Cavernous nerves of penis
Latin	nervi cavernosi penis
Gray's	subject #220 989
From	prostatic plexus
Dorlands/Elsevier	n_05/12565353

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).

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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 an causing erectile dysfunction complications. During surgery, a doctor may apply a small electrical stimulation to the nerve and measure the erectile function.^[1] This test aid the surgeon in identifying the difficult to see nerves.^[2]

References

Gray's Anatomy, 1918 edition

v • d • e Nerves - autonomic nervous system (sympathetic nervous system/ganglion/trunks and parasympathetic nervous system/ganglion)
Head/cranial	Ciliary ganglion (Short ciliary nerves) - Pterygopalatine ganglion (Nerve of pterygoid canal) - Submandibular ganglion - Otic ganglion
Neck/cervical	paravertebral ganglia: Cervical ganglia (Superior, Middle, Inferior) - Stellate ganglion prevertebral plexus: Cavernous plexus - Internal carotid
Chest/thorax	paravertebral ganglia: Thoracic ganglia prevertebral plexus: Cardiac plexus - Esophageal plexus - Pulmonary plexus - Thoracic aortic plexus splanchnic nerves: Thoracic splanchnic nerves cardiac nerves: Superior - Middle - Inferior
Abdomen/Lumbar	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 nervous system: Meissner's plexus • Auerbach's plexus
Pelvis/sacral	paravertebral ganglia: Sacral ganglia - Ganglion impar splanchnic nerves: Pelvic splanchnic nerves - Sacral splanchnic nerves
All	Rami communicans (White, Gray) - Preganglionic fibers - Postganglionic fibers