Peyronie's disease, sometimes referred to as a curved penis, is a benign but disabling condition. It occurs when scar tissue develops in the penis, probably from minor trauma. Peyronie's disease affects about 10% of men in the US.
In many patients, the scar tissue that characterizes Peyronie's disease softens on its own, and the penis straightens over time. Most patients are put on vitamin E supplements, which is the only treatment for Peyronie's disease that consistently helps relieve the disease.
On average, one out of three patients eventually requires surgery to resolve Peyronie’s disease. There are several Peyronie's disease surgery options. One with which we have had good results (92% success rate) involves cutting out the scar tissue and replacing it with skin grafts. This procedure may be combined with another approach in which the tissue opposite the curvature is surgically tightened.
Patients with severe problems with erectile function may need a prosthesis in addition to removal of the scar tissue and skin grafts. Some patients with severe curvature require two operations as part of their Peyronie's disease treatment: one to correct the curved penis and a second operation to implant the prosthesis.
