Understanding peyronies disease

Introduction What is Peyronie's Disease Symptoms of Peyronie's Disease Causes of Peyronie's Disease Diagnosis Treatment Options Penile Surgery Living with Peyronie's Disease Conclusion

Introduction:

Peyronie's Disease is a condition that affects the male reproductive organ, the penis. It can cause pain, curvature, and erectile dysfunction. Understanding this disease is essential for those who may be experiencing symptoms or seeking information. It can be quite shocking for me to suddenly see their penis curving in an unnatural way, causing distress and difficulties in their sex lives.

What is Peyronie's Disease?

Peyronie's Disease is a connective tissue disorder that involves the development of fibrous scar tissue inside the penis. This scar tissue, known as plaque, can cause the penis to bend or curve during erections, leading to pain and other complications. The extent of the bending does vary from person to person. In some cases it can be quite mild, causing no difficulties for sexual intercourse. In these cases no treatment may be required at all. In other cases the penis can bend severely in the o called acute phase, where the penis curve may be as much as 90 degrees, making sexual intercourse impossible.

Symptoms of Peyronie's Disease:

Bending of the penis on erection

Pain during erections ( not all men have this symptom )

Erectile dysfunction (difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection)

Shortening of the penis ( one side of the penis is longer than the other )

Difficulty with sexual intercourse because of the curvature.

Causes of Peyronie's Disease:

The exact cause of Peyronie's Disease is not always clear, but several factors may contribute, including:

Trauma or injury to the penis. ( sudden bending of the penis during sexual intercourse )

Genetics

Inflammation or autoimmune reactions

Certain medications

Diagnosis:

Our Urologist, Dr Nenad Djakovic,  can diagnose Peyronie's Disease through a consultation and with the benefit of photos of the penis in full erection.. Additional tests, such as ultrasound or imaging, may be used to assess the extent of the condition.

Treatment Options:

Injections into the penis:  

Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, is sometimes used topically to break down the plaque. Dr Djakovic provides verapamil injections for peyronies disease

Penile Implants:

For severe cases of Peyronie's Disease with erectile dysfunction, a penile implant may be considered to restore function.

Penile Surgery:

Surgical procedures, such as penile plication (removing or pinching tissue on the opposite side of the plaque to straighten the penis) or grafting (adding tissue to the opposite side to counteract the curvature), may be options.

Plication procedures such as the Nesbit procedure can leave the penis considerably shorter. Generally speaking, the worse the curvature, the more the shortening

Patients coming to Moorgate Andrology generally do so for length sparing procedures such as plaque incision and grafting surgery or the Stage Procedure. Both aim to make the penis straight again whilst protecting the penis length. Dr Nenad Djakovic is an expert in these advanced procedures.

Living with Peyronie's Disease:

Living with Peyronie's Disease can be challenging, both physically and emotionally. Support groups and counselling services are available to help individuals cope with the condition and its effects on relationships and self-esteem. If the peyronies disease is very mild then no treatment maybe required. If the curvature is very pronounced, then treatment may be required to restore satisfactory sexual function. As the disease goes through two phases, an acute phase and a chronic phase, the treatment options will depend in which phase the disease is. At the consultation Dr Djakovic will be able to assess in which phase the disease is and what treatments are appropriate.   

Conclusion:

Peyronie's Disease is a medical condition that requires proper diagnosis and treatment. If you suspect you have Peyronie's Disease or are experiencing symptoms, it is essential to arrange a consultation with a qualified and experienced Urologist.  With the right treatment plan, many individuals can successfully treat their peyronies disease. To arrange a consultation with Dr Nenad Djakovic,  contact our team today