Priapism Clinical Presentation and Complications: Review of 12 Cases

Abstract

In the West African, Priapism is a well recognized complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Several lessons have been learnt over the years in the sub region, but it is doubtful if these have affected the outlook of priapism in the region. Records of patients with priapism seen in the emergency room between January 2006 and December 2007 were retrieved and analyzed. Twelve patients were identified with a mean age was 25.17 years. All the patients had sickle cell haemoglobinopathy with mean duration of onset to presentation of 175 hours. Carvenosal aspiration and irrigation with normal saline solution of adrenalin solution was sufficient to induce penile tumescence in 75% of patients and one of the patients had El Ghorab carvenoglanular shunt. Half of the patients had resultant impotence. A growing population of adult sickle cell disease patient will continue to present with cases of priapism.

Keywords: Priapism, Presentation, Complications, Sickle cell disease

The Tropical Journal of Health Sciences Vol 19 No 1 (January 2012)