Male Sexual Function

Peyronie's Disease

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Treatment

In about 15 percent of cases, Peyronie's disease spontaneously resolves itself without treatment. However, more than 40 percent of the cases may worsen. If treatment is necessary, oral therapies, injections and surgery may be used. Therapy for the condition aims to relieve symptoms and preserve erectile function.

• Oral Therapies -- Taking a drug known as para-aminobenzoate or vitamin E tablets may be recommended for several months. Unfortunately, in most cases, these medications have limited success. At UCSF Medical Center, our experts pioneered new treatments, such as colchicine and pentoxifylline, that have better success.

• Injections -- The injection of verapamil into the plaque in the penis may be recommended. This treatment typically requires about six to 12 injections over six months duration.

• Iontophoresis -- This is a technique in which a painless current of electricity is used to deliver verapamil or some other agent under the skin into the plaque.

Surgery

Surgery has been shown to be the most effective treatment for Peyronie's disease to correct the curvature of the penis. However, it is usually only recommended in severe cases for patients who fail to respond to non-surgical therapy and have curvature for longer than 12 months.

The two most common surgical methods are the cutting of the plaque followed by placement of a patch of vein or artificial material, or stitching of tissue from the side of the penis opposite the plaque, which corrects the penile curvature.

Read more about surgical treatment in Patient Education.

Other Options

Some men choose to receive an implanted device, or penile prosthesis, that increases the rigidity of the penis. In some cases, a penile implant alone will adequately straighten the penis.

For more detailed information on the three surgical procedures offered at UCSF Medical Center, please see Surgical Treatment for Peyronie's Disease.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated May 8, 2007