Curvature of penis due to scar tissue is not likely to go away
BY DR. KOMOROFF Universal Uclick
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
1/08/13 at 4:14 AM
Dear Doctor K: A few months ago, I noticed that my penis had developed a bend. It hurts when I have sex. Is there a treatment?
Dear Reader: What you describe sounds like Peyronie's disease. In Peyronie's disease, inflammation and scar tissue form along the shaft of the penis. No one is certain why this occurs. It may be triggered by repeated mild trauma during sexual intercourse. In some men it goes away, but in most it doesn't.
People with Peyronie's disease may have genes that cause them to form scar tissue more readily. They are more likely to suffer from a condition called Dupuytren's contracture, in which scar tissue builds up in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
You may feel the inflammation and scar tissue as a painful lump or area of unusual firmness. In many men, the scar tissue is not evenly distributed throughout the shaft of the penis. If it is more on one side, the scar tugs on the shaft, causing the penis to bend or shorten. This is because it prevents the penis from expanding normally. Men with Peyronie's often have difficulty achieving a firm erection.
The best results of treatment have come from oral pentoxifylline and injections into the scar tissue with one of three drugs: verapamil, interferon alpha-2b and collagenase. Pentoxifylline acts on the immune system to quiet inflammation and the associated formation of scar tissue.
Corrective surgery may be an option if your symptoms are very bothersome or disfiguring and persist for more than one year. In a typical procedure, the inflamed or scarred portion of tissue is removed and replaced with a graft taken from another part of the body.
However, mild curvature of the penis may remain. In addition, sexual function or shortening of the penis may not improve following surgery. Surgeons sometimes implant a penile prosthesis to straighten the curvature and improve sexual function.
Write Dr. K at www.AskDoctorK.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64106
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