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Intermittent priapism associated with lumbar spinal stenosis

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Summary

Nine patients with intermittent priapism associated with lumbar spinal stenosis are described. They had severe intermittent claudication and priapism when walking, and 7 had sensory disturbances affecting the lumbosacral nerve roots at rest. Radiographs showed degenerative central stenosis in 6, and degenerative spondylolisthesis in 3. Seven were treated by surgical decompression and 2 refused operation. Six of the 7 had improvement in their priapism, but symptoms recurred in one as a result of spondylolisthesis developing after operation.

Résumé

Nous faisons état de neuf patients atteints de priapisme intermittent associé à une sténose du canal lombaire. Ces symptômes anormaux affectaient 2% des 487 patients admis dans notre service pour des désordres rachidiens. Leur âge s'échelonnait entre 55 et 81 ans (moyenne 66 ans) lors de l'admission à l'hôpital, et la durée moyenne du suivi a été de 4,3 ans. Ces malades présentaient une claudication sévère survenant pendant la marche. Huit patients avaient, au repos, des troubles sensitifs nets dans la région lombo-sacrée. Les radiographies ont montré des sténoses de type dégénératif chez six patients et des spondylolisthésis de type dégénératif chez trois autres. Sept malades ont bénéficié d'une opération chirurgicale décompressive et deux autres d'un traitement conservateur. Six des sept patients traités chirurgicalement ont eu un priapisme moins marqué après l'intervention, mais un a récidivé en raison d'un spondylolisthésis survenu après laminectomie. Ce symptôme rare peut être dû à des phénomènes réflexes, engendrés par des troubles de la sensibilité de la région périnéale, se manifestant au cours de la marche.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Fukui Medical School, Shimoaizuki 23, Matsuoka, 910-11, Fukui, Japan

    H. Baba, N. Furusawa, Y. Tanaka & S. Imura

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Japan

    K. Tomita

Authors
  1. H. Baba
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  2. N. Furusawa
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  3. Y. Tanaka
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  4. S. Imura
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  5. K. Tomita
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Baba, H., Furusawa, N., Tanaka, Y. et al. Intermittent priapism associated with lumbar spinal stenosis. International Orthopaedics 18, 150–153 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192470

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