What is Peyronie’s Penile Curvature Treatment
The penis is composed of two cavernous bodies: a mass of spongy tissue surrounding the urethra (the tube through which urine flows) and a glans, or head, at the tip. The two cavernous bodies are covered by a thick, elastic membrane called the tunica albuginea, which creates an erection by increasing the penis’ girth and length. Peyronie’s disease is caused by the development of localized fibrous segments in the tunica albuginea of the sponge-like region of the penis, which in turn causes it to curve during an erection.
What causes the disease?
It has no known causes, but 37 per cent of the many existing hypotheses involve trauma.
Are there any predispositions to the disease?
Approximately 10 per cent of men with Peyronie's also develop Dupuytren's contracture. Diabetes, smoking, the use of beta blockers, Paget's disease and rheumatoid arthritis can contribute to the development of the disease.
What is its rate of occurrence?
The incidence of Peyonie's disease is 7 per cent. It usually develops at the age of 53 on average and is considered rare before the age of 40.
How does the disease evolve?
Changes in the penile curvature can vary over time. Curvature may spontaneously disappear just as much as it can evolve into severe deformity. Determining how curvature will evolve in the disease's early stages is, therefore, difficult.
Peyronie's disease usually evolves in two phases:
Acute phase. The initial inflammatory phase may be accompanied by painful erections, the formation of a lump along the shaft and a change in the curvature of the penis during erection. Pain may occur randomly or only during an erection. In the majority of cases, pain seems to disappear within 12 to 18 months.
Chronic phase. The chronic phase is characterized by stable curvature. Patients often don’t feel pain at this stage.
Peyronie's disease usually evolves in two phases:
Acute phase. The initial inflammatory phase may be accompanied by painful erections, the formation of a lump along the shaft and a change in the curvature of the penis during erection. Pain may occur randomly or only during an erection. In the majority of cases, pain seems to disappear within 12 to 18 months.
Chronic phase. The chronic phase is characterized by stable curvature. Patients often don’t feel pain at this stage.
How is the disease diagnosed?
A urologist can diagnose Peyronie's disease based on a patient's medical history or through a physical examination. Diagnostic tests aren’t necessary.
How is Peyronie's medically treated?
During the acute phase, nonsurgical shock wave therapy is used to reduce pain.
During the chronic phase, plication surgery is carried out to correct penile curvature.
During the chronic phase, plication surgery is carried out to correct penile curvature.
Are there any plaque injection treatments available?
Collagenase (medication injected directly into plaques) isn’t accessible yet in Canada (XIAFLEX).
In many studies, it has been proven to reduce curvature and plaque size and improve erectile dysfunction. This treatment is rather expensive.
Infiltration of platelet-rich plasma with hyaluronic acid is a new treatment, now accepted by Health Canada. It consists of taking a blood sample that is centrifuged to get the plasma on the surface. The patient’s plasma is collected and reinjected into the plaque site. This treatment is offered in private practice at Clinique Marois.
The infiltration is done under local anesthesia with a penile block. The procedure is performed under ultrasound guidance to identify the plaque. Several sessions, approximately 4, are required every 2 weeks. A penis expander can be used in combination to improve results. It’s sometimes necessary to perform a maintenance treatment every month until the disease stabilizes. The satisfaction rate is high, with a correction of about 15 per cent of the curvature in 75 per cent of treated patients.
In many studies, it has been proven to reduce curvature and plaque size and improve erectile dysfunction. This treatment is rather expensive.
Infiltration of platelet-rich plasma with hyaluronic acid is a new treatment, now accepted by Health Canada. It consists of taking a blood sample that is centrifuged to get the plasma on the surface. The patient’s plasma is collected and reinjected into the plaque site. This treatment is offered in private practice at Clinique Marois.
The infiltration is done under local anesthesia with a penile block. The procedure is performed under ultrasound guidance to identify the plaque. Several sessions, approximately 4, are required every 2 weeks. A penis expander can be used in combination to improve results. It’s sometimes necessary to perform a maintenance treatment every month until the disease stabilizes. The satisfaction rate is high, with a correction of about 15 per cent of the curvature in 75 per cent of treated patients.