Peyronie Disease

Peyronie disease is a progressive and nonmalignant disorder of the penis resulting in an abnormal curvature during erection. The condition was observed in 1561 by Gabriele Fallopius and Andreas Vesalius but was named after François Gigot de la Peyronie, the personal physician of King Louis XV and cofounder of the French Académie Royale de Chirurgie, who was the first to fully describe the disease in 1743.

Peyronie disease is a wound-healing disorder of the tunica albuginea that results in localized fibrosis or scarring of the tunica albuginea. The abnormal curvature is caused by localized scar tissue in the walls of the corpora; the exact mechanism responsible for forming this fibrotic area remains elusive.

Peyronie disease often causes significant distress to patients due to the deformity and resultant impaired appearance and function. In addition, it is associated with erectile dysfunction, which is in itself a distressing condition.