Bulbocavernosus reflex in benign hypertrophy of the prostate.

Electrically induced bulbocavernosus (BC) reflexes were investigated in 47 patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy and the possible harmful effects of prostatectomy on the pudendal nerve branches were followed up in 30 of the patients using the same method. BC reflex obtained by electrical stimulation of the glans penis did not differ significantly from the normal value in bulbocavernosus and external urethral sphincter muscles whether or not patients had been operated on. It was concluded that there is no reason to believe in the existence of somatic involvement of the pudendal nerve branches in prostatic hypertrophy, or that suprapubic prostatectomy could harmfully affect such somatic nerve fibers.