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Q. I told my physician that my penis bends as an erection occurs. He laughed and suggested that this was not uncommon at my age (71) and that only extensive surgery could possibly correct it.
Now I’ve heard that there are medications that might help. My wife says that it’s a bit uncomfortable, but tolerable.
A. Your description fits Peyronie’s disease. Experts estimate that it affects approximately 8 percent of men over 50. Peyronie’s is caused by scarring on one side of the erectile body of the penis.
Urologist Culley Carson, MD, tells us that medications can sometimes be helpful. They include pentoxifylline (a drug that makes platelets flexible and improves blood circulation) and colchicine (a drug used primarily for gout). The calcium channel blocker verapamil is sometimes injected directly into the scar tissue. Such treatments must be supervised by a specialist. You can listen to an interview with Dr. Carson at www.peoplespharmacy.com (show #668).
I would like to comment on your recent answer on 3/3/08 to the question from a man who noted curvature of his erect penis. You are correct that this is likely Peyronie’s disease (PD). Current knowledge suggests that PD is a genetic disorder of wound healing causing exuberant scar formation in response to minor or even silent injury. This non-elastic scar tissue may cause a variety of deformities to the erect penis including bending, loss of girth and length and is frequently associated with erectile dysfunction. As you can imagine this makes PD both a physically and psychologically devastating problem.
Unfortunately, there is no curative treatment and surgery remains the gold standard to correct the deformity. But many men are either not psychologically ready or interested in surgery. Others are not physically ready for surgery as the changes in the penis must be stable for at least six months before surgery can be considered.
Your response regarding medical therapy indicated that several drugs may provide some benefit. However, there are no oral drugs that have been scientifically shown to provide benefit. Verapamil and Interferon have been used by injection directly into the plaque once it is anesthetized resulting in some benefit in up to 60% of patients.
The most recent advance in the treatment of this scar disorder is the application of an external penile traction device known as the FastSize Extender (see FastSize.com for more information). This device was shown in a recent trial to benefit all of the men who used it with an increase in length, girth and up to 45 degrees of curvature reduction. There is nothing new about traction therapy as it has been used to straighten teeth, elongate bone, or stretch other scarred tissues. Studies ongoing in Chicago at Rush University Medical Center are examining the potential benefits of combining Verapamil injection therapy with FastSize traction therapy for PD. In these studies, there have been no side effects or adverse events reported when the device is used properly.
Respectfully submitted,
Laurence A. Levine, M.D.
Professor of Urology
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois
Author of Understanding Peyronie’s Disease by Addicus Books
I had surgery some 20 years ago, in my fifties, for what was diagnosed as PD. It worked fine but the symptoms returned 2 or 3 years ago. This time, although to me it appeared the same, it was diagnosed as balantis xerotica oblite. Triamcinolone acetoneide cream, applied daily, has thus far controlled the problem.