Gou Chengren, Liu Tong, Chen Zongping, Zhou Zidong, Song Tao, Mao Kaiyi, Chen Congcong, Chen Bo
Department of Urology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000, China.
Department of Pediatric Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
Basic Clin Androl. 2022 Jan 5;32(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s12610-021-00151-7.
The ischiocavernosus muscle (ICM) encompasses a pair of short pinnate muscles attached to the pelvic ring. The ICM begins at the ischial tuberosity and ends at the crus of the penis while covering the surface of the crus. According to the traditional view, the contraction of the ICM plays an auxiliary role in penile erection. However, we have previously shown that the ICM plays an important role in penile erection through an indirect method of diagnosing erectile dysfunction (ED) caused by ICM injury by observing the infertility of paired female rats. Since intracavernosal pressure (ICP) is the current gold standard for diagnosing ED, this study aimed to amputate unilaterally/bilaterally the ICM to establish an ED model by detecting the ICP, recording the infertility of matching female rats, and comparing the two methods.
Forty sexually mature adult male rats were selected and randomly divided into the following groups: the control group (n = 10), sham operation group (n = 10), unilateral ischiocavernosus muscle (Uni-ICM) amputation group (n = 10), and bilateral ischiocavernosus muscle (Bi-ICM) amputation group (n = 10). Eighty female reproductive rats were randomly assigned to the above groups at a ratio of 2:1. We evaluated the time to conception for the paired female rats and the effects of unilateral/bilateral severing of the ICM on erectile function. The results showed that the baseline and maximum intracavernosal pressure (ICP) in the control group, sham operation group, Uni-ICM amputation group, and Bi-ICM amputation group were 17.44±2.50 mmHg and 93.51±10.78 mmHg, 17.81±2.81 mmHg and 95.07±10.40 mmHg, 16.73±2.11 mmHg and 83.49±12.38 mmHg, and 14.78±2.78 mmHg and 33.57±6.72 mmHg, respectively, immediately postsurgery. The max ICP in the Bi-ICM amputation group was lower than that in the remaining three groups (all P<0.05). The pregnancy rates were 100, 100, 90, and 0% in the control group, sham operation group, Uni-ICM amputation group, and the Bi-ICM amputation group, respectively. The pregnancy rate in the Bi-ICM amputation group was significantly lower than that in the remaining groups (all P<0.05). The time to conception was approximately 7-10 days later in the Uni-ICM amputation group than in the control and sham groups (all P<0.05).
Male rats undergoing Bi-ICM amputation may develop permanent ED, which affects their fertility. In contrast, rats undergoing Uni-ICM amputation may experience transient ED.
坐骨海绵体肌（ICM）是一对附着于骨盆环的短羽状肌。ICM起始于坐骨结节，止于阴茎脚并覆盖阴茎脚表面。按照传统观点，ICM的收缩在阴茎勃起中起辅助作用。然而，我们之前通过观察配对雌性大鼠的不育情况，采用一种间接诊断ICM损伤所致勃起功能障碍（ED）的方法，表明ICM在阴茎勃起中起重要作用。由于海绵体内压（ICP）是目前诊断ED的金标准，本研究旨在通过单侧/双侧切断ICM建立ED模型，检测ICP，记录配对雌性大鼠的不育情况，并比较这两种方法。
选取40只性成熟成年雄性大鼠，随机分为以下几组：对照组（n = 10）、假手术组（n = 10）、单侧坐骨海绵体肌（Uni - ICM）切断组（n = 10）和双侧坐骨海绵体肌（Bi - ICM）切断组（n = 10）。80只雌性繁殖大鼠按2:1的比例随机分配至上述各组。我们评估了配对雌性大鼠的受孕时间以及单侧/双侧切断ICM对勃起功能的影响。结果显示，对照组、假手术组、Uni - ICM切断组和Bi - ICM切断组术后即刻的基线海绵体内压（ICP）和最大ICP分别为17.44±2.50 mmHg和93.51±10.78 mmHg、17.81±2.81 mmHg和95.07±10.40 mmHg、16.73±2.11 mmHg和83.49±12.38 mmHg、14.78±2.78 mmHg和33.57±6.72 mmHg。Bi - ICM切断组的最大ICP低于其余三组（均P<0.05）。对照组、假手术组、Uni - ICM切断组和Bi - ICM切断组的受孕率分别为100%、100%、90%和0%。Bi - ICM切断组的受孕率显著低于其余各组（均P<0.05）。Uni - ICM切断组的受孕时间比对照组和假手术组晚约7 - 10天（均P<0.05）。
双侧ICM切断的雄性大鼠可能会出现永久性ED，影响其生育能力。相比之下，单侧ICM切断的大鼠可能会经历短暂性ED。
