Treating Peyronie’s Disease

The goals of treatment are to relieve pain and straighten the penis enough to allow intercourse. No single treatment has proven effective in all men with Peyronie’s disease—you and your doctor can discuss which options, if any, you should try. A period of conservative management is usually tried before more invasive treatment such as surgery is recommended. This period of conservative management may last 1–2 years. Some men will have a resolution of the Peyronie’s disease during this time.

Medications

Medications may help reduce pain and soften and reduce the size of the plaque. Certain medications may be taken orally. These include vitamin E and Potaba (potassium para-aminobenzoate). Other medications have been tried with varying success. Some medications may be rubbed right on the penis. Others may be injected directly into the plaque to try to soften it. Medications that treat erectile dysfunction may help with some of the erectile problems associated with Peyronie’s disease, but will not treat the curvature or pain. Your doctor will discuss all your options and any side effects of these medications with you.

Surgery

Surgery is generally used only in severe cases of Peyronie’s disease that don’t resolve on their own and can’t be treated by other means. Significant curvature, impotence, or severe, persistent pain may be present. Surgery may involve:

• Removal of the plaque, replacing the tissue with a graft

• Shortening the penis on the opposite side of the plaque to cancel out the curvature

• Implantation of a device (prosthesis) to straighten the penis and make the penis rigid enough for intercourse