Male pudendal nerve release assisted by laparoscopy and intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring

Pudendal nerve entrapment (PNE) is rare, and mostly affects women, with men accounting for only 1/3 of cases. The European guidelines advocate surgical decompression in select PNE cases. We aim to evaluate surgical outcomes in a group of male patients diagnosed with PNE who underwent laparoscopic decompression surgery supported by intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (pIOM).

This retrospective and multicentric study included 138 patients with suspected PNE syndrome. The diagnosis of PNE was established based on neurophysiological tests and response to pudendal nerve block. Patients who experienced symptom relief following the nerve block underwent laparoscopic pudendal nerve decompression surgery, with pIOM utilized during the procedure. Symptom progression was tracked over a 12-month follow-up period.

A total of 84 (60%) were diagnosed with PNE. Of these, 20 (24%) were male, with 14 (70%) receiving pudendal nerve infiltration. Six men (46%) later underwent laparoscopic pudendal nerve decompression surgery with pIOM. At the 12-month follow-up, five patients (83%) reported significant pain reduction, while one (17%) noted no improvement. Visual Analog Scale ranged between 2 and 5. Bladder dysfunction resolved in 2 of the 3. Two patients ceased all medications by the 12-month mark. In terms of satisfaction, four patients expressed complete satisfaction, one reported partial satisfaction, and one did not provide feedback.

Laparoscopic PNE decompression surgery, combined with pIOM is an effective intervention for male PNE patients with significant pain relief and enhanced quality of life. Further research is needed to validate these results and refine the criteria for patient selection.