@article{ref1,
title="Melanotan-induced priapism: a hard-earned tan",
journal="BMJ case reports",
year="2019",
author="Dreyer, Barend Albert and Amer, Tarik and Fraser, Michael",
volume="12",
number="2",
pages="e227644-e227644",
abstract="Melanocortin analogues, such as melanotan, are illegally used for artificial tanning. They have also been suggested as possible therapeutic agents in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. This case study presents a patient attending the accident and emergency department, in a tertiary urology centre, with acute priapism after abdominal subcutaneous injection of melanotan. The priapism was diagnosed as 'low-flow' and managed with cavernosal aspiration, irrigation and subsequent intracavernosal injection of phenylephrine. The patient avoided requiring surgical shunting but had not yet recovered erectile function at 4-week follow-up. Acute priapism is an unreported side effect of melanocortin analogue use and this case report presents a patient managed without surgical intervention. Future therapeutic application of these agents will need to take this potential life altering complication into consideration.<br><br>© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1757-790X",
doi="10.1136/bcr-2018-227644",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2018-227644"
}