Men’s health topics are important to discuss with a doctor, but for many men it is difficult to have these conversations with their health care provider. Washington University urologic surgeons answer common questions about Peyronie’s disease below.
Peyronie’s disease is a condition in which scar tissue (called a plaque) forms under the skin of the penis and can result in a curved and/or painful erection.
Most commonly Peyronie’s disease develops after a trauma to the penis. The penis could have been excessively bent during intercourse. A small tear in the erectile penile body (corpus cavernosum) can heal with excessive scar tissue, resulting in a restrictive plaque.
There are no oral medications that are effective for PD. There are penile straightening devices that can be effective over several months if applied daily for 60 to 90 minutes.
Peyronie’s can be definitively treated with surgery. A specialist in penile reconstructive surgery can excise the plaque and graft the defect area with either a synthetic material or autograft from another area of the body.
Another way to fix a Peyronie’s curvature is to plicate the penis. By placing sutures on the opposite side of the penis, the penis can be pulled straight.
The choice of treatment and time to successful treatment of Peyronie’s disease is dependent on both the degree of curvature with erections and the size and density of the plaque.
Mild cases of PD might improve spontaneously in 6 to 15 months.
Washington University Urology can provide options and treatments for Peyronie’s disease. Meet our specialists below.
