Near Exhaustion of Medical Treatment Options Available For Priapism in a Child with Sickle Cell Anaemia from Yola, Nigeria: A Case Report (Published)
Priapism could be described as painful penile erection unrelated to sexual stimulation, which may not subside without medical intervention. This report described a case of near exhaustion of medical treatment options available for priapism in a child with sickle cell anaemia from Yola, Nigeria. The diagnosis was based on non response to the different stages of medical intervention for the condition. He is a known sickle cell anaemia patient who presented with painful, tender and sustained penile erection of seven hours. Blood film showed numerous sickled red cells and packed cell volume of 28 %. Having ruled out other possibilities, a diagnosis of priapsm in a child with background sickle cell anaemia was made, and the patient was placed on antioxidants, sedation, analgesic and ice packs without response. Next was hydration which was also not successful. Aspiration of the copora cavernosum led to detumescence followed by a rebound penile erection. Intra-coporal injection of epinephrine was also not remarkable. Dexamethasone, a steroid was further used and the child had complete detumescence. He was subsequently discharged on follow-ups. Now that surgical intervention is becoming obsolete, current case suggests the need for more studies to investigate the role of steroids and other newer treatment options to further expand on the current medical interventions.
Keywords: Medical Interventions, Priapism, Sickle Cell Anaemia, Steroids, Yola-Nigeria, Younger Children