Priapism in an infant with sickle cell trait after cardiac transplant.

Abstract

We report a case of priapism in a 6-month-old boy of African descent who had been receiving intravenous sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor. An orthotopic cardiac transplantation had been performed at 6 months of age, 2 months after he had received a Berlin heart. The pre-, peri-, and postoperative care required multiple transfusions, and postoperative pulmonary hypertension required treatment with intravenous sildenafil. He developed a series of prolonged, semitumescent erections (30-180 minutes) that resolved spontaneously without the need for urologic intervention. Subsequent investigations revealed he was a carrier of a sickle cell gene. Although the precise etiology of the prolonged penile erection is unclear, it was likely secondary to the use of sildenafil and the sickle cell trait.

• Authors: Chasta-Dawne Bacsu, Peter D Metcalfe
• Journal: Urology (Urology) Vol. 80 Issue 4 Pg. 928-30 (Oct 2012) ISSN: 1527-9995 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22901818 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors
• Piperazines
• Purines
• Sulfones
• Sildenafil Citrate

Topics

• Heart Transplantation (adverse effects)
• Humans
• Hypertension, Pulmonary (drug therapy, etiology)
• Infant
• Male
• Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Piperazines (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Priapism (chemically induced, etiology)
• Purines (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Sickle Cell Trait (complications)
• Sildenafil Citrate
• Sulfones (adverse effects, therapeutic use)