PRIAPISM IN ADULTS BASED ON A SERIES OF 1 6 CASES

Priapism is a rare disease, characterized by prolonged, painful and ir reducible erection, not resulting in ejaculation. It is an andrologica l emergency with a poor prognosis, as the risk of impotence is 50% des pite appropriate management. Treatment is essentially surgical. The au thors report their experience of 16 cases of priapism observed over a 15-year period. The mean age of the patients was 36 years (range. 21 t o 56 years). The diagnosis was clinical. The mean time to consultation was 8 days (range: 1-28 days). Priapism was secondary to neuroleptics in 6 cases (37%), chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2 cases, sickle-cell a naemia in one case, radiotherapy in 1 case and the cause remained unkn own in 6 cases (37%). Treatment was surgical in every case and consist ed of spongiocavernous anastomosis in II patients (Winter's procedure in 1 case, Al-Ghorab's procedure in 6 cases and transperineal in 4 cas es, with saphenocavernous anastomosis in 5 cases). The overall failure rate of surgical treatment was 37%. The success rate of spongiocavern ous fistula was 70% and the authors preferred the Al-Ghorab type of sp ongiocavernous fistula.