Man left with erection for 30 hours gets £41,000 payout

The unfortunate man went through one hell of an ordeal.

The unnamed 36-year-old rushed to a health centre in Albaida, near the east coast city of Valencia, four hours after his penis remained upright and showed no signs of going down.

According to The Olive Press, the man was diagnosed with priapism -  a prolonged erection of the penis whereby a full or partial erection continues hours beyond sexual stimulation.

In a worst-case scenario, blood can’t drain from the penis - which could lead to a whole range of other problems.

After the diagnosis he went to nearby Ontinyent Hospital but according to the claimant there was a delay in the treatment he needed.

The man made a second visit to the hospital with his anguished wife 20 hours after his problems started but is said to have been told he would have to wait to see a urologist with a ‘preferential appointment’.

The man complained and was referred to another hospital where he ended up being admitted with a fever, which in some cases can accompany priapism.

Medics ended up draining the blood from his penis and he returned to hospital a few days later for an operation during which a malleable penile prothesis was fitted.

As if things couldn't get any worse, the operation was not done properly and it fell out after a few days. As a result, the man had to go in for the same operation again.

The man complained of medical malpractice, and the regional government of Valencia was ordered to pay compensation of £41,000.

The man’s wife will also get €5,000 in ‘moral’ damages from the region’s health department.

Jorge Sanchez, a urologist who was not involved in the case, told Spanish media: "Four or five hours of priapism can cause damage to the penis tissue and 20 hours later the risk is higher.

"If the erection continues, the only solution is break two tubes in the penis called the corpora cavernosa that fill with blood to make it stiff during an erection. If they are ruptured the patient will no longer be able to have an erection and will require a prothesis."