[Priapism. New diagnostic and therapeutic methods].

Priapism (P) may develop from unknown causes or may occur secondary to other disease or as a side effect of medication. The occurrence of pharmacologically induced erection by intracavernous injection of drugs has resulted in a number of cases of iatrogenic priapism. Priapism may be ischaemic or non-ischaemic and determination of the acid-base status in the cavernous blood may be of value in the choice of treatment. The non-ischaemic cases should be treated primarily by aspiration of blood, possibly followed by intracavernous injection of a vaso-constrictive agent, eg 15 micrograms adrenaline or noradrenaline, repeated if necessary. Cases which do not respond to this and severe ischaemic cases should be treated with glando-cavernous anastomosis.