[Penile erection after spinal anesthesia. Treatment with intracavernous ethyladrianol]

We report on 26 patients with sustained penile erection from spinal anesthesia following the classical technique using 20 mg bupivacaine at 0.25% that were treated by intracavernous injection of 10 mg ethyladrianol. Complete detumescence was achieved in 23 (88.4%); partial detumescence, which permitted transurethral surgery, was achieved in 3 patients (11.6%). No complications were observed apart from mild hematoma at the site of injection in 2 patients. All patients presented easily controllable arterial hypertension. This is a simple, easy and practically risk-free technique that has the advantage of achieving a high response rate thereby permitting surgery.