Ischemic Priapism During Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case Report and Literature Review

Literature on priapism as a concomitant manifestation of COVID-19 infection is scarce since less than 10 cases are reported. It is crucial to determine whether priapism in a COVID-19 patient is related to the infection itself or to the ongoing therapy, especially in those critically ill. Our study aims to create an alert for all physicians faced with the management of priapism in SARS-CoV-2 patients. We tried to explore any potential leading factors presenting a case of priapism arising during COVID-19 pneumonia, and we reviewed the current literature available on this topic.

We reported the case of a 62-year-old man with severe COVID-19 pneumonia complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome who developed ischemic priapism during his stay in intensive unit care. Corporal aspiration was performed with injection of 200 μg of intracavernosal phenylephrine resulting in detumescence. After recovery, the patient reported complete erectile dysfunction.

The etiopathogenetic mechanism of priapism remains not completely clear. The most frequently hypothesized cause is the prothrombotic state associated with the infection. Further elements including the drugs administered during the infection may play a crucial role. Further studies are needed to obtain stronger evidence.