The McDougal clamp is positioned beneath the dorsal vein complex and surrounding striated urethral musculature. The dorsal vein can be ligated and divided or divided without ligation. We feel that dividing the dorsal vein without ligation avoids injury to the striated sphincter from the ligature and permits more tissue to be removed on the anterior surface of the prostate. If the clamp has been placed in the correct plane, the dorsal vein can be divided completely with little residual bleeding.