Overall, approximately 50% of patients become impotent (inability to achieve or maintain an erect penis; also called erectile dysfunction) after radical prostatectomy (removal of the prostate). It is already known that postoperative (after surgery) erectile dysfunction does not depend solely on the preservation of the nerves going to the penis, but also to the preservation of the arteries bringing blood to the penis.
Although, the presence and frequency of APAs have been studied, and the ability to preserve them has also been noted, we still do not know how much these arteries contribute to a male's erection. With this study, we plan to evaluate whether APAs supply blood to the penis and male erections, as well as the amount supplied. While there is no immediate benefit to you for participating in the study, these findings will further help our understanding of APA's and the importance in preserving them during surgery.
The primary aim of this study is to determine the proportion of men with APAs for whom APAs contribute to penile blood flow. The secondary aim is to describe peak systolic, diastolic and resistive index velocities of the dorsal artery of the penis before and after clamping of the APA.
