{
  "id": 11206949,
  "title": "Placenta wrap hastens erection recovery after prostate surgery",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/placenta-wrap-hastens-erection-recovery-after-prostate-surgery",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-01T14:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Scientist",
    "slug": "new-scientist",
    "url": "https://www.newscientist.com/article/2591588-placenta-wrap-hastens-erection-recovery-after-prostate-surgery/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Prostate cancer surgery often leads to erectile dysfunction, but a novel technique involving dried placenta sheets may expedite recovery. A review of 2560 radical prostatectomies revealed that men who received the amniotic membrane sheets experienced erections within a week, compared to 14 days in those who did not. The sheets, each measuring 4 by 6 centimetres, are placed around bundles of nerves, known as cavernous nerves, to promote healing. These nerves are crucial for penis relaxation during erections, which can be impaired after surgery due to nerve damage or inflammation. While the study found no difference in cancer outcomes between the two groups after eight years, a limitation is its retrospective design. It remains unclear if improvements are solely due to surgical refinements. Experts suggest randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm the technique's efficacy. Beyond urology, dehydrated amniotic membranes are gaining traction for treating skin wounds and burns due to their scar-reducing properties.",
  "summary": "Dried amniotic membranes from donated placentas can be wrapped around delicate nerves during prostate cancer surgery to hasten the time to a first erection after the procedure",
  "key_points": [
    "Dried placenta sheets expedite erection recovery after prostate surgery.",
    "Men with sheets regained erections within a week, compared to 14 days without.",
    "Study found no difference in cancer outcomes after eight years."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}