Peyronie disease

A condition of uncertain cause in which a plaque (a hard lump) forms on the upper or lower side of the penis in layers containing erectile tissue resulting sometimes in severe curvature of the penis. Surgery is usually only recommended in long-term cases in which the deformity causes erectile dysfunction and prevents intercourse. The French surgeon, François de la Peyronie described the disease in 1743. Peyronie disease begins as a localized inflammation and can develop into a hardened scar. Cases range from mild to severe. Symptoms may come on slowly or appear overnight. In severe cases, the hardened plaque reduces flexibility, causing pain and forcing the penis to bend or arc during erection. In many cases, the pain decreases over time, but the bend in the penis may remain a problem, making sexual intercourse difficult. The sexual problems that result can disrupt a couple's physical and emotional relationship and lead to lowered self-esteem in the man. In a small percentage of patients with the milder form of the disease, inflammation may resolve without causing significant pain or permanent bending. The plaque itself is benign, or noncancerous. A plaque on the top of the shaft (most common) causes the penis to bend upward; a plaque on the underside causes it to bend downward. In some cases, the plaque develops on both top and bottom, leading to indentation and shortening of the penis. At times, pain, bending, and emotional distress prohibit sexual intercourse. Who gets it? One study found Peyronie disease occurring in 1% of men. Although the disease occurs mostly in middle-aged men, younger and older men can acquire it. About 30% of people with Peyronie's disease develop fibrosis (hardened cells) in other elastic tissues of the body, such as on the hand or foot. A common example is a condition known as Dupuytren contracture of the hand. In some cases, men who are related by blood tend to develop Peyronie's disease, which suggests that familial factors might make a man vulnerable to the disease. Course of the disease: The plaque of Peyronie disease may develop sometimes following trauma (hitting or bending) that causes localized bleeding inside the penis. Two chambers known as the corpora cavernosa run the length of the penis. The inner-surface membrane of the chambers is a sheath of elastic fibers. A connecting tissue, called a septum, runs along the center of each chamber and attaches at the top and bottom. If the penis is abnormally bumped or bent, an area where the septum attaches to the elastic fibers may stretch beyond a limit, injuring the lining of the erectile chamber and, for example, rupturing small blood vessels. As a result of aging, diminished elasticity near the point of attachment of the septum might increase the chances of injury.

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induration of the corpora cavernosa of the penis, producing a painful fibrous chordee and penile curvature. Called also fibrous cavernitis, penile induration, and van Buren d.