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Peyronie’s Disease

Peyronie’s disease is where plaques (segments of flat scar tissue) form under the skin of the penis. These plaques can cause the penis to bend or become indented during erections. The plaques can often be felt through the skin and can be painful. Peyronie’s disease is more common than you may realize, affecting about 10% of adult men.

What causes Peyronie’s Disease?

Peyronie’s disease is likely caused by minor injury to the penis. This type of damage is most often caused by vigorous sex (such as bending the penis during penetration or pressure from a partner’s pubic bone), though it can also be caused by sports or other accidents. Injury to the tunica albuginea may result in scar tissue forming in the cells (fibrosis). This scar tissue then forms the plaque of Peyronie’s disease. Peyronie’s disease is the result of a problem in the way the body heals wounds.

Diagnose and Treatment of Peyronie’s Disease?

Our urologists may be able to tell if you have Peyronie’s disease with only a physical exam. The hard plaques can most often be felt whether the penis is erect or not. To check how the penis curves, your health care provider may inject a drug into your penis to create an erection and may take pictures to study. In some cases, dynamic ultrasound, which uses sound waves to get a picture of what is in your body, is used to see where the plaque is, check for calcium buildup and show how the blood flows in your penis.

In a few cases, Peyronie’s Disease may go away without being treated. SoutWest Urology has a variety of treatment options including oral medications, penile implants, and injections. Surgery is reserved for men with more severe, disabling penile deformities that make it hard to have sex.

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