Permanent open shunt as a reason for impotence or reduced potency after surgical treatment of priapism in 26 patients.

A permanent open shunt as a cause of impotence or impaired potency after a shunt operation for priapism is an unusual situation. In this series we studied the persistence of an open shunt in 26 patients who had developed impotence or impaired potency after operative treatment for priapism. All patients had been examined by cavernosography on the suspicion of an open shunt, giving a positive finding in five of 26 cases, in all of which impotence was cured by closure of the shunt. In five patients without a permanent open shunt potency returned to normal only after 6-12 months.