title: Current and emerging treatment options for Peyronie's disease.
abstract: Peyronie's disease (PD) is a condition of the penis, characterized by the presence of localized fibrotic plaque in the tunica albuginea. PD is not an uncommon disorder, with recent epidemiologic studies documenting a prevalence of 3-9% of adult men affected. The actual prevalence of PD may be even higher. It is often associated with penile pain, anatomical deformities in the erect penis, and difficulty with intromission. As the definitive pathophysiology of PD has not been completely elucidated, further basic research is required to make progress in the understanding of this enigmatic condition. Similarly, research on effective therapies is limited. Currently, nonsurgical treatments are used for those men who are in the acute stage of PD, whereas surgical options are reserved for men with established PD who cannot successfully penetrate. Intralesional treatments are growing in clinical popularity as a minimally invasive approach in the initial treatment of PD. A surgical approach should be considered when men with PD do not respond to conservative, medical, or minimally invasive therapies for approximately 1 year and cannot have satisfactory sexual intercourse. As scientific breakthroughs in the understanding of the mechanisms of this disease process evolve, novel treatments for the many men suffering with PD are anticipated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University - School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gokce
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University - School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Julie C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University - School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Mary K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Powers
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Tulane University - School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Wayne Jg
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hellstrom
keywords: extracorporeal shockwave therapy; incision and grafting; intralesional treatment; oral therapy; penile prosthesis; plication; topical therapy; traction devices