Research Information System
Conference on Photonic Therapeutics and Diagnostics VIII, San-Francisco, Costa Rica, 21 - 24 January 2012, vol.8207
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.