Conference on Photonic Therapeutics and Diagnostics VIII, San-Francisco, Kostarika, 21 - 24 Ocak 2012, cilt.8207, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
Successful identification and preservation of the cavernous nerves (CN), which are responsible for sexual function, during prostate cancer surgery, will require subsurface detection of the CN beneath a thin fascia layer. This study explores optical nerve stimulation (ONS) in the rat with a fascia layer placed over the CN. Two near-IR diode lasers (1455 nm and 1550 nm lasers) were used to stimulate the CN in CW mode with a 1-mm-diameter spot in 8 rats. The 1455 nm wavelength provides an optical penetration depth (OPD) of similar to 350 mu m, while 1550 nm provides an OPD of similar to 1000 mu m (similar to 3 times deeper than 1455 nm and 1870 nm wavelengths previously tested). Fascia layers with thicknesses of 85 - 600 mu m were placed over the CN. Successful ONS was confirmed by an intracavernous pressure (ICP) response in the rat penis at 1455 nm through fascia 110 mu m thick and at 1550 nm through fascia 450 mu m thick. Higher incident laser power was necessary and weaker and slower ICP responses were observed as fascia thickness was increased. Subsurface ONS of the rat CN at a depth of 450 mu m using a 1550 nm laser is feasible.