Trial Information

Assessment of the Functional Significance of Accessory Pudendal Arteries

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.