Peyronie's Disease
Peyronie's disease is characterized by the formation of hardened tissue in the penis that causes curvature, distortion, and pain, usually during erection. In Peyronie's disease, the sheath that surrounds the erectile tissue called tunica albuginea forms dense, fibrous scar tissue.
Symptoms
The symptoms of Peyronie's disease may form rapidly or over a long period of time and may be mild or severe. The most common symptoms are:
Hardened tissue in the penis; pain during ejaculation; curve in the penis during erection; distortion of the penis such as indentation or shortening.
Treatments
The treatment options of Peyronie's disease are limited. Surgery is the only effective treatment but Peyronie's disease may resolve on its own so it is advised to wait 1 to 2 years before choosing surgery. The goal of treatment is to reduce pain and maintain sexual function.
- Non-surgical: uses chemical agents injected into the hardened tissue at the onset of symptoms, usually with in the first six months.
- Surgery: uses a penile implant, removal of hardened tissue and skin graft, removal or pinching tissue opposite the hardened tissue to reduce curvature, or a combination of all three.
