[Priapism. Our experience].

OBJECTIVE

We report our experience in the diagnosis, medical management and surgical treatment of priapism.

METHODS/

RESULTS

The clinical records of 67 patients that had been treated for priapism at our hospital from 1978-1994 were analyzed for age, race, occupation, marital status, symptoms, treatment, complications and time to remission of symptoms following treatment. Sixty-four patients were treated surgically and 3 patients were successfully treated medically. We performed 52 cavernospongiosal shunts, 14 sapheno-cavernous shunts and in 10 patients corpora cavernosa puncture was performed. The complications were sepsis, thrombosis, hematoma, phlebitis and urethral fistula. The complication rate was low for the cavernospongiosal shunt and corpora cavernosa puncture with phenylephrine.

CONCLUSIONS

The highest incidence was observed in patients aged 15-40 years, with a prevalence in the black race. The principal presenting feature was a painful erection without sexual contact. Idiopathic priapism was the most prevalent, although the sickle cell anemia was an important etiological factor. The surgical technique most commonly used was the cavernospongiosal shunt. Intracavernosal injection of phenylephrine was the treatment of choice for pharmacological priapism. Seven patients had erectile dysfunction.