title: Preliminary findings from a new animal model for Peyronie's disease involving extracorporeal shock waves.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop an experimental model in rabbits to analyse the efficiency of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for Peyronie's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used 15 adult male rabbits divided into three equal groups. In group 1 (no penile ESWT) rabbits had three sessions of ESWT with 2000 shocks each (15 kV), but a rubber mat was placed between the shock head and rabbit to protect the penis; the rabbits were killed at 7 days after the last session of ESWT. In group 2 the rabbits had three sessions of ESWT using the same parameters, and were killed immediately after the last session to analyse the penis. In group 3 the rabbits had three sessions of ESWT as before but were killed at 7 days after the last session, and the penile tissue analysed macroscopically and histologically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed clearly that the model was efficient, creating a similar situation to that when applying ESWT in the human penis. All of the rabbits in groups 2 and 3 had haematomas and diffuse petechiae after ESWT, and only four had urethral and penile bleeding. Almost all macroscopic changes disappeared after 48 h and only one rabbit in group 3 after 7 days had a haematoma on the dorsal penile surface. The histology (assessed using haematoxylin and eosin staining) of the cavernous body of the penis showed: unchanged histology in group 1; in group 2 there was a dilated and congested vascular space in the cavernous body, with interstitial extensive bleeding in the dermis; and in group 3 there was an increase in interstitial fibrous tissue in the cavernous septum, with deposition of collagen fibres and thickening of the tunica albuginea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present model was efficient in producing tissue injury in the normal penis when treated with ESWT, suggesting that this promising model should be considered for use future studies of Peyronie's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. enricoandrade@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Italo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cortez
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Claro
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pompeu
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paranhos
authors.forename: Priscila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borra
authors.forename: Antonio Marmo
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lucon
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Srougi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008096:Lithotripsy; D008297:Male; D010411:Penile Induration / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010413:Penis / Q000473:pathology*; D011817:Rabbits; D016896:Treatment Outcome