Hypothesis of human penile anatomy, erection hemodynamics and their clinical applications.
OBJECTIVE
To summarize recent advances in human penile anatomy, hemodynamics and their clinical applications.


METHODS
Using dissecting, light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy the fibroskeleton structure, penile venous vasculature, the relationship of the architecture between the skeletal and smooth muscles, and erection hemodynamics were studied on human cadaveric penises and clinical patients over a period of 10 years.


RESULTS
The tunica albuginea of the corpora cavernosa is a bi-layered structure with inner circular and outer longitudinal collagen bundles. Although there is no bone in the human glans, a strong equivalent distal ligament acts as a trunk of the glans penis. A guaranteed method of local anesthesia for penile surgeries and a tunical surgery was developed accordingly. On the venous vasculature it is elucidated that a deep dorsal vein, a couple of cavernosal veins and two pairs of para-arterial veins are located between the Buck's fascia and the tunica albuginea. Furthermore, a hemodynamic study suggests that a fully rigid erection may depend upon the drainage veins as well, rather than just the intracavernosal smooth muscle. It is believed that penile venous surgery deserves another look, and that it may be meaningful if thoroughly and carefully performed. Accordingly, a penile venous surgery was developed.


CONCLUSIONS
Using this new insight into penile anatomy and physiology, exact penile curvature correction, refined penile implants and promising penile venous surgery, as well as a venous patch, for treating Peyronie's deformity might be performed under pure local anesthesia on an outpatient basis.
Microsurgical Potency Reconstruction and Research Center, Taiwan Adventist Hospital, 424, Ba-De Road, Sec. 2, Taipei 105, Taiwan, China. glhsu@tahsda.org.tw
Geng-Long
GL
Hsu
D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology*; D010413:Penis / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery