Priapism in children with leukemia

A case of priapism in a child with chronic granulocytic leukemia is presented, and the English literature is reviewed. While common in adult leukemia patients, priapism is rare in children with these neoplasms. Sludging of blood in the corpora cavernosa is almost universally accepted as the mechanism behind the development of painful and persistent erection in these patients. Permanent fibrosis of the cavernosal tissue may not occur in leukemic priapism as it does in other than chronic granulocytic leukemia. Therapy directed toward the priapism is almost uniformly unsuccessful. However, the painful erection will resolve spontaneously in a matter of days with proper treatment of the leukemic process.