Impact of Tissue Sealing Sheet on Erectile Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Nerve-Sparing Radical Prostatectomy

Introduction: The tissue sealing sheet has recently been used to prevent intraoperative bleeding from the neurovascular bundles in radical prostatectomy. Surgical stress or inflammatory changes likely play a role in erectile dysfunction after cavernous nerve injury. However, the efficacy of a tissue sealing sheet for preventing erectile function after nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy remains unclear.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of a tissue sealing sheet on erectile dysfunction after cavernous nerve dissection.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups and subjected to sham operation or bilateral cavernous nerve dissection with (sheet group) or without (non-sheet group) a tissue sealing sheet. In the sheet group, cavernous nerves were sealed with a tissue sealing sheet immediately after cavernous nerve dissection.

Main outcome measures: Erectile function was assessed by measuring intracavernous pressure and arterial pressure during pelvic nerve electrostimulation at 4 weeks after surgery. Expressions of interleukin-6, tumor growth factor-β1, and heme-oxygenase-1 in the major pelvic ganglion were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Mean intracavernous pressure along with mean arterial pressure in the sheet group were similar to those in the sham group and showed a significant positive response compared with the non-sheet group (P < .05). Furthermore, expressions of interleukin-6, tumor growth factor-β1, and heme-oxygenase-1 were significantly lower in the sheet group than in the non-sheet group (P < .05).

Conclusion: Use of a tissue sealing sheet attenuated postoperative inflammatory changes and oxidative stress and improved erectile function after cavernous nerve injury in rats. The tissue sealing sheet might become a useful therapeutic approach to preserve erectile function after nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy.