Systemic complication of intracavernous papaverine injection in patients with venous leakage.

Intracavernous papaverine injection is often used in the diagnosis and treatment of male impotence. Prolonged erection and/or priapism are well known local complications. Systemic side-effects characterized by discomfort and dizziness due to rapid escape of the drug into the vascular circulation also can occur in patients with venous leakage. Thus, venous leakage should be ruled out prior to intracavernous injection of papaverine in the treatment of impotence. Ligation of the deep dorsal vein and the small veins around the tunica albuginea will lessen the problem.