[1] It is commonly applied in radical retropubic prostatectomy, a surgical treatment for prostate cancer, in which damage to nerves during surgery can lead to complications including urinary incontinence and impotence.
In nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy, initially developed by Dr. Patrick Walsh in the 1980s,[2] surgeons identify and attempt to avoid damaging the nerves.
Surgeons may visually identify the cavernous nerves of penis or apply an electrical stimulation penile plethysmograph diagnostic test to verify the nerves, and so avoid damaging them.
The bilateral approach attempts to spare the nerves on both sides of the prostate.
This article incorporates public domain material from Dictionary of Cancer Terms.