INTRODUCTION: Stuttering priapism (SP) is seen in sickle cell disease (SCD) and characterized by short-lived painful erections.
Imbalanced vascular tone is the postulated cause and this may be reflected in changes in baseline penile blood flow as measured using penile Doppler ultrasound (PDU).
AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the baseline penile blood flow characteristics in men with SCD and SP, by comparing with men without SP.
METHODS: PDU findings were retrospectively analyzed in 100 men during flaccid state. Nine men had SP (age range 20-40 years), 4 had Peyronie's disease (PD) (35-48 years), 67 men had erectile dysfunction (16-67 years), and 20 men had normal erectile function (18-42 years).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The variables measured were peak systolic and end-diastolic velocities, and the Doppler velocity waveform. Values in men with SP were compared with those in the other groups.
RESULTS: Median systolic and diastolic velocity was significantly higher in men with SP (systolic/diastolic velocity was 26/4 cm/second in men with SP vs. 13/0 cm/second, 14/0 cm/second, and 16/0 cm/second in men with PD, ED, and normal erectile function, respectively; P = 0.0001). Men with SP had a characteristic low peripheral resistance (PR) waveform with fluctuating velocities; the diastolic velocity was consistently positive (2-7 cm/second) and fluctuated between +2 and +8 cm/second. In comparison, the other 91 men had high PR waveform and consistently negative diastolic velocity (range 0 to -2 cm/second).
CONCLUSIONS: Men with SP had a unique baseline Doppler ultrasound waveform, with a low PR waveform and an elevated, variable cavernosal artery velocity. We propose that this may be the sonographic manifestation of a reduced, fluctuating smooth muscle tone and that PDU may have a role for diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of SP.
Written by:
Patel U, Sujenthiran A, Watkin N. Are you the author?
Department of Radiology, St George's Hospital and Medical School, London, UK.
Reference: J Sex Med. 2014 Nov 26. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1111/jsm.12756
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25424427