Nerve Sparing RC Surgery?? Peter K.?

Zachary,

I misspoke and didn't mean to imply american doctors don't do nerve sparing. I guess it is a matter of finding a surgeon that does the procedure. My point to Snowy was to emphasize the issue and discuss it with his doctors. I regret not pressing my surgeon about nerve sparing/transplant, but I was scared shitless at the time and getting a hard on was the least of my worries.

By the way, have many people posted on the web-site who have had successful nerve sparing procedures and successful results in conjunction with an RC. So far, everyone I have talked to has lost the ability to have an erection naturally.

Regards,

Peter Konomos

I have to disagree with Peter. Many American doctors perform nerve-sparing surgery that enable patients to have an erection after their RC.

Of course sometimes the nerve--because of the patient's situation--can't be spared and must be removed. That was what happened in my case. But it wasn't because American doctors can't or don't perform nerve-sparing surgery, it was because I wasn't a proper candidate for it.

But as you can see below, my surgeon frequently does nerve-sparing surgery:
www.usc.edu/schools/medicine/departments/urology/about/profile.php?PersonIs_ID=2733

A few weeks ago, I had RC & neobladder done. The doctor's plan was to perform "nerve sparing surgery".

Peter K. recently said in a post:
"Unfortunately, the american docs remove the nerve that enables you to have an erection, but there is a solution for it involving a needle into the base of the penis. .....I understand some surgeons can replace the nerve with a nerve from your ankle."

Peter, do you know?: Is the nerve you're talking about a nerve that should be spared in "nerve sparing surgery"? .....or is is one that can't be spared?

Thanks in advance,
Dan