Priapism as the First Sign of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Abstract

Introduction. Priapism is a prolonged painful erection lasting for more than four hours, which either persists after the termination of sexual stimulation or is not associated therewith. Priapism may be the first clinical manifestation of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).Aim. To describe a clinical case of ischemic priapism that occurred in a patient with a previously undiagnosed CML.General findings. We present a clinical observation of ischemic priapism having lasted for 18 hours, which occurred in a patient with a previously undiagnosed CML. The diagnosis of CML was subsequently established on the basis of a study of peripheral blood and bone marrow. The therapeutic tactics consisted in an immediate puncture aspiration of blood from the corpora cavernosa and an intracavernous injection of a phenylephrine solution. After priapism had been relieved, an CML therapy was applied, which allowed the recurrence of priapism in the patient to be avoided.