title: Extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the management of Peyronie's disease: initial experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate prospectively the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) as a conservative treatment for Peyronie's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  After obtaining ethical committee approval, 37 patients with Peyronie's disease were treated using ESWT. Before treatment the degree of angulation was assessed by artificially inducing an erection with a vacuum device. The severity of pain on erection was assessed using a visual analogue scale (0-5). Each patient was treated with a minimum of three sessions of ESWT (3000 shock waves at an energy density of 0.11-0.17 mJ/mm2) at 3-week intervals. The results were analysed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 37 patients, 34 completed the protocol; the mean (range) duration of the disease was 19.43 (4-60) months and the mean follow-up 7.5 (5-11) months. Almost half (47%) of the patients reported an improvement in angulation, with a mean reduction of 29.3 degrees (10 degrees -60 degrees ) (P < 0.001); 12 of the 20 (60%) patients with pain on erection reported immediate relief, the mean reduction being 2.3 (1-4) on the visual analogue scale (P < 0.001). There was only minimal bruising at the site of treatment and no major side-effects were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESWT is an effective and safe treatment for Peyronie's disease; the long-term follow-up and results are awaited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Lynn
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000502:physiology; D010411:Penile Induration / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods*