Peyronie's Disease and Its Treatment

Peyronie's disease is characterized by plaques of connective tissue that develop over time in the shaft of the penis, especially on its dorsal side (the top of the penis). It typically manifests as a curvature of the erect penis, usually upward, less often to the sides or downward.

In some patients, a plaque forms that encircles the shaft of the penis. When the penis becomes erect, the plaque gives the shaft a constricted appearance (an hourglass appearance). This curvature can lead to serious consequences, from penile pain and shortening of the penis to preventing sexual intercourse altogether.

Painful erections and difficulty with sexual intercourse (erectile dysfunction), which can occur in about 50% of patients, are among the main reasons that drive men experiencing this problem to see a doctor. Penile curvature, erectile dysfunction and pain during erection impair the quality of life of patients with Peyronie's disease.

Medication and injection therapy

Although many different medications are used for Peyronie's disease, the role of conservative treatment has still not been fully defined. No medication for Peyronie's disease has been approved by the European Medical Association.

As for the treatment applied as a drug injection into the plaque that forms in the shaft of the penis and causes the curvature, it does not make the plaque disappear completely, but it can be effective in somewhat improving the pain and the curvature.

In severe cases of Peyronie's disease where oral medications and intralesional injection therapy have not been successful, the aim of surgical treatment is to correct the curvature and enable satisfactory sexual intercourse. Surgery is performed in patients whose disease has not responded to treatment for at least 3 months (according to some recommendations, 6-12 months).

ESWT/EDSWT treatment for Peyronie's disease

ESWT/EDSWT is a new-generation treatment method that has no side effects, causes no pain, does not harm neighboring organs, requires neither anesthesia nor hospitalization, does not interact with other conditions (such as cardiovascular disease or hypertension) or with regularly used medications, and allows the patient to comfortably resume daily life after the procedure.
In ESWT/EDSWT treatment, low-energy acoustic shock waves that the patient does not feel are applied. Sessions last 15 to 20 minutes, with 3000 pulses delivered per session.

The low-energy shock waves delivered with ESWT/EDSWT lead to shrinkage of Peyronie's plaques in the acute phase through their effects on the tissue-healing mechanism, while in patients in the chronic phase they support the regeneration of calcified Peyronie's plaques. Beyond the treatment of pain and penile curvature, these remarkable effects on pain during erection and on the curvature of the penis also contribute to the sexual lives of patients with Peyronie's disease through good-quality erections.