Introduction to Priapism

Introduction: Priapism is a delicate medical condition found in males that requires immediate evaluation and has to be attended to immediately. The condition is not uncommon with most medical professionals coming across it on a regular basis, though most of them may not be able to identify with its etiology, classification and management. There are various forms of Priapism that are based on their cause/ etiology.

Definition:

Priapism is a medical condition that is marked by an erect male reproductive organ that continues to be in that state for a long period of time despite the fact that the man is not sexually stimulated during the given time period. The condition is not found in women as it affects only the male reproductive organ. It involves the paired corpora cavernosa, a sponge like part that holds blood when the organ is erect.   In some cases, men could be showing symptoms of stuttering Priapism, in which he could be suffering from recurrent, intermittent and excruciatingly painful erections. Though this condition is generally not fatal and can be treated but in extremely rare condition, Priapism can turn into cancerous states. The malignant condition is caused by metastasis of solid tumors that could be found in the male reproductive organ:

• From urinary bladder (32 %)
• Prostrate (28 %)
• Kidney (17 %)
• Gastrointestinal tract (8%).

It is not uncommon to observe these tumors arise from testes, lung, liver, bone or from sarcomas. In most cases, the mechanism of malignant priapism could be due to surgeries performed for cancer, tumor and continuous stimulus to the erectile afferent pathways. In some cases, priapism could also be a symptom of a primary tumor in the male reproductive organ.

Risk factors of Priapism:

The overall incidences of Priapism varies

• Men who are 40 years or above have a higher risk factor than men who are younger than that.
• Men who are dependent on intracorporal injections to rid themselves of ED at 1% to 17 % at a risk of suffering from Priapism.
• Similarly children with sickle cell anemia and Thalassemia are more prone to this condition than children who are not.
• Men who are on unproven and illegal drugs that are believed to treat erectile dysfunction.