Patient discussions
Patients with concurrent comorbidities or conditions predisposing them to priapism should be informed of their risks and the associated signs and symptoms of priapism. Patients should be told that some erectile dysfunction; subsequent structural changes involving penile deformities, scarring, and shortening; or both erectile dysfunction and structural changes may develop as a consequence of priapism and to seek medical advice if this occurs.[1]
US guidelines recommend counseling patients with acute ischemic priapism >36 hours duration that recovery of erectile function is unlikely.[1] Patients should be advised to comply with all recommended treatment and be informed of these potential consequences. If a subsequent episode of priapism occurs, patients should be told to seek immediate medical attention if erection persists for longer than 3-4 hours, because prompt medical treatment is necessary.
Patients undergoing embolization for nonischemic priapism should be made aware that the procedure carries a risk of erectile dysfunction, and that priapism may recur.[1]
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