Persistent and usually painful erection that lasts for at least four hours in the absence of physical or psychological stimulation, which can be caused by hematologic disorders, including sickle cell disease and leukemia, spinal cord injuries, and medications.
Symptoms of Priapism
The following features are indicative of Priapism:
penis erection lasting more than four hours
progressive penile pain
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Common Causes of Priapism
The following are the most common causes of Priapism:
sickle cell anemia
leukemia
thalassemia
multiple myeloma
glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
use of antipsychotics
Other Causes of Priapism
The following are the less common causes of Priapism:
use of blood thinners
Risk Factors for Priapism
The following factors may increase the likelihood of Priapism:
highly prominent in patients affected with sickle-cell anaemia
Prevention of Priapism
Yes, it may be possible to prevent Priapism. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
use of oral medications used to manage erectile dysfunctioning
Occurrence of Priapism
Number of Cases
The following are the number of Priapism cases seen each year worldwide:
Rare between 10K - 50K cases
Common Age Group
Priapism most commonly occurs in the following age group:
Aged between 5-50 years
Common Gender
Priapism most commonly occurs in the following gender:
Male
Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Priapism
The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Priapism:
Blood gas testing: Helps in diagnosis of blood from the cavernosa of the penis
Ultrasound examination: To estimate blood flow through blood vessels by bouncing high-frequency sound waves
Toxicology test: To screen for drugs that might be the cause of priapism
Complications of Priapism if untreated
Yes, Priapism causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Priapism is left untreated:
permanent scarring of the penis
Procedures for Treatment of Priapism
The following procedures are used to treat Priapism:
Administration of distal shunts: A procedure which allows blood to leave the penis and return to the circulation
Time for Treatment of Priapism
While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Priapism to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision: