Intravenous drug abuse continues to be a major social problem in the USA. Many drug abusers eventually run out of usual intravenous sites and begin to utilize more unusual sites. Some of these sites include the cervical veins and the superficial dorsal vein of the penis. Sometimes the vein is missed and there is extravasation of the drug subcutaneously or intracorporeally. Acute cavernositis, priapism, penile subcutaneous hematoma, penile ulcerations and corporal fibrosis as well as Fournier’s gangrene are some of the sequelae of these adventures. We describe our experience with these situations and review the management of penile ulcers. Material and Methods: Six patients who were seen in our general urology practice in Washington, D.C., with parenteral drug abuse involving the external genitalia were studied. Results: Complications of acute cavernositis, priapism and penile ulcers were observed in this group. Conclusion: It is essential to be aware that these habits occur as well as some of the complications outlined here. We review the management of penile ulcers.

Keywords:
Drug abuse, External genitalia, Heroin ulcer, Penile ulcer
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© 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel
2004
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