Priapism

What is Priapism?

Priapism is a condition in which a male develops a permanent erection. If your erection lasts for an unusual period of time and is unrelated to sexual contact, go directly to the emergency department of the nearest hospital. Although this can be a potentially embarrassing situation, waiting to correct priapism may result in permanent damage.

What causes Priapism?

Possible causes of priapism are:

• penile injection therapy for impotence
• physical trauma to the penis or surrounding region
• diseases which thicken the blood like leukemia or sickle-cell anemia
• cancerous growth around the penis preventing outflow of blood
• in some cases there is no known cause

Treatment

The physician will choose a different treatment depending on the severity of the priapism. Medication, or minor surgery to remove the old blood from the penis are the most common treatment options.