Penile gangrene in diabetes mellitus with renal failure: A poor prognostic sign of systemic vascular calciphylaxis

Abstract

Penile gangrene associated with chronic renal failure is very uncommon. A 52-year-old man with diabetes mellitus, diffuse atherosclerosis, ischemic cardiomyopathy and end-stage renal disease presented with blackening of distal penis for 10 days. His general condition was poor and gangrene of prepuce and glans was noted. Doppler and magnetic-resonance angiography revealed bilateral internal iliac artery obstruction. He underwent trocar suprapubic cystostomy and was planned for partial penectomy. But he died of severe diabetic complications in the interim period. Penile gangrene is a manifestation of widespread vascular calcifications associated with end-stage renal disease and is a marker of poor prognosis.

Keywords

• Calciphylaxis
• gangrene
• penis