Peyronie's disease is penis problem caused by scar tissue, called plaque, that forms inside the penis. It can result in a bent, rather than straight, erect penis.
Most men with Peyronie's disease can still have sex. But for some, it can be painful and cause erectile dysfunction.
Depending on the symptoms, you may opt for observation, medical or surgical treatments.
What Are the Symptoms of Peyronie's Disease?
Symptoms may develop slowly or appear overnight. When the penis is soft, you can’t see a problem. But in severe cases, the hardened plaque hampers flexibility, causing pain and forcing the penis to bend or arc when erect.
In most cases, the pain eases over time, but the bend in the penis can worsen.
Some men with the condition develop scar tissue elsewhere in the body, such as on the hand or foot. Men with Dupuytren's contractures -- scarring in the hand that affects fingers -- seem to be more likely to get Peyronie's.
What Treatments Are Available?
If you need treatment, your doctor will consider surgery or medicine.
If those don’t work, you may get a shot of verapamil or collagenase (Xiaflex) into the scar tissue of the penis. If nothing else works, your doctor may consider surgery, but usually only for men who can’t have sex because of their Peyronie’s disease.
The two most common operations are:
Remove the plaque and get a tissue graft in its place.
Remove or alter the tissue on the side of the penis opposite the plaque, which counters the disease's bending effect.
How Do Doctors Diagnose Peyronie's Disease?
Tell your doctor about anything, such as an injury, that happened before the symptoms started.
You’ll get an exam in which your doctor will feel the hardened tissue caused by the disease during an exam. It’s not always necessary, but if the penis has to be erect for the exam, the doctor would inject a medicine to make that happen.
There’s a chance you may need to get an X-ray or ultrasound of the penis.
It’s rare, but in some cases where the doctor's exam does not confirm Peyronie's disease, or if the condition develops rapidly, your doctor may do a biopsy. That involves removing a little bit of tissue from the affected area for lab tests.
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