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The incidence and management of priapism in Western Australia: a 16 year audit

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 15, pages 272–276 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

The objective of the study was to conduct a retrospective audit of patients who presented with priapism in Western Australia during the years 1985–2000. We searched the records of the teaching hospitals in metropolitan Perth and those of the Keogh Institute for Medical Research for the diagnostic code for priapism. A total of 82 episodes of priapism in 63 patients occurred over this 16 year period. In all, 62 episodes occurred after intracavernosal injections (ICI) and 20 were due to other causes. Treatment of priapism included simple aspiration of blood, intracavernosal injection of α-adrenergic agents and surgical shunt procedures. Priapism occurring outside the setting of ICI was more likely to require surgery; seven of 20 episodes. After ICI therapy, eight of 62 episodes required shunts. The use of prostaglandin E1 as the drug of choice in ICI therapy in 1989 led to a fall in the incidence of ICI-induced priapism. Priapism is a major side effect of ICI therapy and an uncommon, although important, side effect of other conditions. The incidence of priapism has fallen with the introduction of prostaglandin E1 monotherapy as the favoured drug for ICI therapy of erectile failure.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Ian Hill, Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle and Dr Antony Low (in memoriam), Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia for their assistance with Ethics Committee submissions. We thank Alexander Stuckey for the statistical analysis and Lynley Ward for her assistance with graphics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Keogh Institute for Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia

    CM Earle, BGA Stuckey & HL Ching

  2. Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, QEII Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia

    BGA Stuckey

  3. Urology Academic Unit, Hollywood Private Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    ZS Wisniewski

Authors
  1. CM Earle
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  2. BGA Stuckey
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  3. HL Ching
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  4. ZS Wisniewski
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to BGA Stuckey.

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Earle, C., Stuckey, B., Ching, H. et al. The incidence and management of priapism in Western Australia: a 16 year audit. Int J Impot Res 15, 272–276 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3901018

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