Etiological aspects and interest of early surgical management of priapism

12 patients have been treated for priapism between March 1973 and September 1977. Etiologic conditions have been found 9 times, leaving only 3 idiopathic priapisms. Treatment of choice consisted of 8 saphenocavernous shunts, achieving detumescence in 7 cases and preserving sexual potency in 5. The precocity of operation seems of no interest to priapism itself but is mandatory to prevent secondary impotence.