Bilateral caverno-saphenous shunt for priapism: 4 case reports

Summary The authors present 4 cases of idiopathic priapism treated with bilateral sapheno-cavernous shunt, and discuss the immediate and late results obtained by this technique. It was observed that immediate total penile flaccidity had occurred only after completion of the bilateral shunt. Sexual impotence occurred in 2 cases on whom the surgery was carried out 1 week after the illness, confirming the general feeling that the occurrence of future sexual impotence is directly proportional to the duration of the disease. They believe that best results would be obtained with the use of the bilateral corpus-saphenous shunt, initially, performing later on, if necessary, a cavernous-spongy anastomosis. The necessity to treat these cases as surgical emergencies is emphasised.