Peyronie’s disease is a degenerative process of the penile tissue that produces a curvature or deviation of the penis. In most cases it is characterized by the appearance of a plaque of fibrosis in the tunica albuginea of the corpora cavernosa of the penis. As a consequence of the fibrosis appears the curvature or deviation of the penis that is appreciable during erection. There are both mild and severe curvatures, which can hinder penetration or make erection painful. Its current name was coined in 1743 by the French physician François Gigot De La Peyronie, surgeon to King Louis XV of France.
Causes of Peyronie’s disease and risk factors
The causes of its onset remain unknown and there are several theories about it, none of which is conclusive. However, the most accepted theory among the scientific community is that the multiple microtraumas suffered by the penis during coital sexual activity would provoke an inflammatory response in predisposed individuals that would eventually evolve into fibrosis. It has also been related to pathologies such as Dupuytren’s syndrome.
Symptoms of Peyronie’s disease
The most common symptoms are penile deformity in the erect state and, in the initial inflammatory phases, pain during erection. Because of penile incurvation, the penis may sometimes decrease in length and girth. In more advanced stages, the erection can be seriously impaired. The patient suffering from this disease is usually very dismayed because the curvature is not only an aesthetic problem but can progress and completely impede penetration.
Diagnosis and treatment of Peyronie’s disease
– Exploration and palpation of the corpora cavernosa.
– Auto-photographs of erect penis (kêlami technique), zenithal and lateral view
– High resolution ultrasound of the penis to visualize plaques of fibrosis or calcified nodules.
Treatment will depend on the age of the patient, the stage of the disease, the degree of curvature and the type of lesion in the corpora cavernosa of the penis. Mild curvatures, diagnosed in the early stages of the disease, can be treated with topical pharmacological treatment, applied with micro-voltage currents for better penetration of the active ingredient (iontophoresis). The use of mechanical traction extenders, under medical supervision, is advisable for mild and recent onset curvatures. In more severe cases, surgery is necessary.
In our Center we are pioneers in the application of innovative techniques for the surgical correction of curvature, with very satisfactory results both aesthetically and, of course, functionally.