ABSTRACT
Peyronie’s disease is a localized connective tissue disorder that primarily affects the tunica albuginea and surrounding vascular tissue of the corpus cavernosum (1). The end result is a fibrous plaque that contains an excessive amount of collagen, alterations in the elastin framework, and fibroblastic proliferation, all of which consequently alter penile anatomy and may cause bending, narrowing, and/or shortening of the penis. These anatomical changes may dramatically affect erectile function. Penile deviation alone may cause difficulty with coital penetration; however, approximately 40% of Peyronie’s patients have coexistent erectile dysfunction (ED) (2,3). Since the first well-characterized clinical series on penile curvature was reported in 1743 by Francois Gigot de la Peyronie, the etiology and mechanism of this well-recognized symptom complex have remained undetermined.
