Curvatures of the penis
The penis may exhibit curvature from birth, due to a congenital malformation showing disparity between the 2 cavernous bodies (erection cylinders) or to illnesses affecting the membrane (tunica albuginea) covering these, be it from an unknown source, as with Peyronie’s Disease, or through Trauma to the Penis.
Peyronie's Disease:
This is an illness of unknown origin that manifests itself in men, generally aged 50 and older, which is characterized by the development of a hard, fibrous layer of scar tissue (fibrosis) on the membrane (tunica albuginea) covering the cavernous bodies of the penis. When the penis becomes engorged with blood, the affected area of the cavernous bodies where fibrosis has developed is unable to stretch properly, giving way to an anomalous Curvature of the Penis.
In the early stages of the illness pain may be present at the moment of erection due to the inflammatory process, which subsides generally within 1 to 2 months. Afterwards, a hard, fibrous layer of scar tissue (fibrosis) may appear anywhere on the surface of the penis in the form of plaque, or a hard lump. Frequently, it develops on the dorsal surface (upper part of the penis), though it can also be found on the lateral or ventral surfaces. This fibrosis may even calcify in time, giving way to a shortening of the penis. Another manifestation of the illness may be a lack of rigidity in the penis (Erectile Dysfunction [ED or Impotence]), though, generally, this is a psychological one (reaction to associated pain).
It is diagnosed easily using as reference the symptoms described by the patient, palpation of the penis, and photography taken by the patient himself documenting the state of erection.
Currently there are no medical treatments considered to be truly effective, though many of them, including Oral or Topical Pharmacology, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT), and other physical methods are applied.
What’s most important with Peyronie’s Disease is to address its stabilization, which requires a commitment of 6-12 months of dedicated patience. Once it’s been determined that the illness is neither advancing nor retreating (a rare occurrence), allowances should be made for surgical treatment (Corporoplasty) which consists in the evening out of the longer part of the curvature to the shorter one, which can result in a certain reduction in penis length. In extreme cases where penis length is already very short, skin graft treatment, with the patient himself as donor, or synthetic materials of a different nature may be applied directly to the hardened area.
When Peyronie’s Disease takes its course in an organic type of Erectile Dysfunction (ED or Impotence), a penile implant may be considered.
Congenital Curvature of the Penis
A curvature of the penis exhibited in youth and early instances of erections can be attributed to the malformation of the cavernous bodies (erection cylinders). The only form of treatment possible when curvature is significant is a surgical procedure meant to straighten the penis such as that prescribed for Peyronie’s Disease.
Curvature of the Penis Through Trauma to the Penis
The membrane (tunica albuginea) covering the cavernous bodies may become damaged, the result of a strong blow or strike to the penis, generally during sexual activity, producing a hard, fibrous layer of scar tissue (fibrosis) behaving similarly to that described in Peyronie’s Disease. Notwithstanding, it’s not unheard of in these cases for the illness to disappear on its own, spontaneously. Were it not so, the treatment prescribed would be Corporoplasty.