INTRODUCTION:There is no current consensus as to the most effective nonsurgical therapy for Peyronie's disease (PD).
AIM: This study aims to assess the benefit of penile traction therapy (PTT) when added to intralesional verapamil injections (IVIs) combined with oral L-arginine 1 g b.i.d. and pentoxifylline 400 mg t.i.d. in men with PD.
METHODS: Seventy-four men with PD completed 12 IVIs. Patients electing to add PTT were advised to wear the device for 2-8 hours daily and no longer than 2 hours per session. Subjective responses were measured using patient questionnaires. Stretched penile length (SPL) and erect penile curvature (EPC) using penile duplex ultrasound were measured. Response to therapy was defined as at least a 10-degree reduction in EPC.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Change in SPL (cm) and change in EPC (degrees).
RESULTS: Thirty-five patients in group I vs. 39 patients in the PTT group II completed the protocol. Fifty-four percent of men in group II responded to therapy vs. 46% in group I (P = 0.75). Responders in group II had a mean EPC improvement of 26.9 degrees vs. 20.9 degrees in group I (P = 0.22). Mean PTT use was 3.3 hours per day, and men with >3 hours per day use gained 0.6 cm in SPL vs. 0.07 cm using less than or equal to 3 hours per day (P = 0.09), while men in group I lost 0.74 cm of SPL on average. Multivariate analysis revealed that duration of PTT use significantly predicts length gain (0.38 cm gain for every additional hour per day of PTT use, P = 0.007).
CONCLUSIONS: There was a trend toward measured curvature improvement and a significant gain in SPL in men using the combination therapy protocol. Length improvement is related to duration of use of the traction device.
Written by:
Abern MR, Larsen S, Levine LA. Are you the author?
Department of Urology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Reference: J Sex Med. 2012 Jan;9(1):288-95.
doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02519.x
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22024053
