[Incidence of priapism at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital in Santander].
OBJECTIVE
Our experience in the management of priapism, its etiology, blood gas changes, treatment and outcome are presented.


METHODS
The records of patients that had been treated at the Urology services of our hospital over the last 8 years were reviewed. During this period, patients with erectile dysfunction were treated according to a protocol.


RESULTS
There were 9 episodes of priapism in 8 patients; all cases were low flow and the patients were aged 37-71 years. The duration of the prolonged erection ranged from 4 to 72 hours. Of these 9 cases, the etiology was intracavernosal PGE in 7, after trazodone administration in one case, and unknown in one case. Intracavernosal metoxamine was administered in all cases with excellent results, except one case that required a saphenous-cavernosal shunt and another case that was initially treated with adrenalin also with good results.


CONCLUSIONS
Since intracavernosal agents have been utilized in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, priapism has become a more frequent urological emergency. Although a lower incidence has been reported for PGE, the dose should be well adjusted to avoid a higher incidence.
Portillo Martín
J A
JA
Servicio de Urología, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Cantabria Santander, España. jose.portillo@teleline.es
Correas Gómez
M A
MA
Gutiérrez Baños
J L
JL
Martín García
B
B
Hernández Rodríguez
R
R
del Valle Schaan
J I
JI
Roca Edreira
A
A
Rado Velázquez
M
M
Hernández Castrillo
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011317:Priapism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013030:Spain