Peyronie’s Disease is a condition of the penis caused by scar tissue which can be painful and can also cause the penis to have an abnormal bend in it, especially erect. It is usually thought to occur due to a penile injury during intercourse when a poorly-aimed thrust occurs. Sometimes the actual event is subtle, and not noticed until the condition itself is noticed days or weeks later, but sometimes the event is quite dramatic in which case the event itself is noted as a fracture of the penis. When the penis is fractured there is sometimes a loud popping sound as the connective tissue surrounding the penis is bent beyond its limits and ruptures. Swelling can be severe and rapid. When a fracture occurs it is a medical emergency and should yield a visit to the emergency room and sometimes surgery would be done to drain the blood and repair the rupture.
If a penile fracture is not treated within a few days, or if the condition is not noticed until scar tissue is established, surgical treatment is much more difficult and complex so many other non-surgical treatments have been tried. However, none of them worked reliably and none have been FDA approved…until now. A medication called Xiaflex has been FDA approved, and more recently, added to the recommended guidelines of the AUA (American Urologic Association) for first line treatment of Peyronie’s Disease for patient’s with stable disease, a curve between 30 and 90 degrees and the ability to have an erection. The medication is injected directly into the scar tissue with a tiny needle 2 or 3 days apart, and another visit a few days later, once the scar tissue is apparently softened up, for some reverse bending by the patient’s urologist. Then there are exercises done by the patient over the next few weeks, and a second or third series like this is often required for the best results. Dr. Newman, a Las Vegas Urologist, can help you.