Prostate cancer surgery often damages the nerve bundles responsible for erections, leaving many men with erectile dysfunction. A new approach uses dried amniotic membrane from donated placentas as a wrap around those nerves during the operation.
The membrane is placed around the delicate nerve tissue to support healing. According to New Scientist, the technique appears to shorten the time to a first erection after surgery.
The report is based on a single study, and the source does not compare the method with other treatments. Still, the results suggest that a simple biological dressing could improve recovery for men undergoing prostate cancer surgery.