Acute appendicitis presenting as priapism in an 8 year old

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Urology
• Pediatric Surgery
• Pediatric Gastroenterology

Background:

• Priapism, a persistent erection, is uncommon in pediatric populations.
• Established etiologies include leukemia, sickle cell disease, and trauma.
• The literature lacks reports linking priapism to acute appendicitis in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of priapism in a child.
• To identify acute appendicitis as the underlying etiology.
• To contribute to the understanding of uncommon priapism causes.

Main Methods:

• Case presentation of a pediatric patient with priapism.
• Diagnostic workup for the underlying cause of priapism.
• Surgical and medical management of acute appendicitis.

Main Results:

• A pediatric patient presented with priapism.
• Acute appendicitis was diagnosed as the cause of priapism.
• Successful treatment of acute appendicitis resolved the priapism.

Conclusions:

• Acute appendicitis can be an unrecognized cause of priapism in children.
• This case expands the differential diagnosis for pediatric priapism.
• Prompt diagnosis and management of appendicitis are crucial in such cases.