Case Report: Scorpion Envenomation with Delayed Ischemic Priapism in a Preadolescent—An Unusual Presentation

Priapism as a complication of scorpionism in children is rare and is categorized as grade II of severity. The pathogenesis is the activation of parasympathetic pathways that stimulate the release of acetylcholine. An 8-year-old boy, a known case of steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome, presented with a history of persistent penile erection for the previous 12 hours. He had a history of a black scorpion ( Heterometrus swammerdami ) sting on his right leg 4 days earlier. He was given adequate analgesia, and prazosin was started at 30 µ g/kg/dose because of the parasympathetic overactivity. Doppler ultrasonography of the penile shaft showed a bilateral thickened, bulky, and edematous corpus cavernosa and no arterial flow due to venous congestion, suggesting ischemic (low-flow) priapism. Detumescence was not accomplished with saline irrigation and aspiration or with intracorporeal irrigation with phenylephrine. Thus, a distal T-shunt was done. We illustrate an interesting case of scorpion envenomation with delayed ischemic priapism.