Peyronies is an abnormal curvature of the penis caused by development of fibrous plaques in the smooth muscle tissue of the penis. Typically, the fibrosis occurs in the fibrous envelope that surrounds the corpus cavernosa of the penis. Corpus cavernosa are a pair of sponge like penile regions that contain most of the blood that flows into it during an erection. The condition is mostly acquired after men cross 50. Men may also be born with a curvature but that is not understood to be this disease. Very few men suffering from this disease have difficulty in engaging in sex but it may affect the quality of an erection. Men with this disease usually do not get hard erections but this does not tantamount to impotence or erectile dysfunction. It is a rare condition that affect about one to three percent of males. The disease may also change the shape of an erection in other ways as well, such as reduction in diameter and length and indentation. Besides, a curved penis has a strong psychological component as well.

A lump is commonly noticed and often taken to be cancerous. To the contrary, it is neither cancerous nor related to cholesterol formation. Although it is mostly an acquired condition, curved penis may be hereditary and runs in families. This condition is in no way related to internal disorders as many men are known to develop scarring of hands and feet. Peyronies disease treatment is targeted at maintaining sexual function. In some cases, training and education can help to a great degree to reassure the patient. It is only in instances where the condition prevents sexual intercourse that surgery recommended.

Some patients have benefited from medical treatments for the condition while others report that medication does not make any difference to the curvature. That is the main reason why there is no consensus in regard to drugs for treating the condition. The preferred treatment is injecting Verapamil directly into the scar tissue. Peyronies surgery is recommended only in severe cases where natural healing fails to resolve the issue.

Surgical treatment of Peyronie disease involves various procedures including tissue grafts and implant surgery. Tissue grafts involve replacement or expansion of the scarred tissue with grafts from the other healthier side. Implant surgery, on the other hand, involves surgical implantation of biocompatible inflatable or solid cylinders in the corpus cavernosa. Another procedure known as Nesbit procedure corrects the curvature by gathering the outer convex side and folding it into pleats.

If the plaque forms in a hoop it can cause indentations and loss of penis diameter, which may be segmental. This can give the penis a typical hour-glass shape. This does not allow the penis to be adequately rigid even with high internal pressure of fluids. It is necessary to treat severe Peyronies as it inhibits sexual intercourse to a great degree and also be a cause of great embarrassment.