A man's business

Problems with the “best part”

(Bild: KrishnaTedjo - stock.adobe.com)

 In most men, the genitals are not straight when erect, but slightly bent upwards, downwards or to the side. However, a pronounced curvature or deformation quickly becomes a problem for those affected, leading to pain, difficulties during sex and often psychological complaints as a result. 

In medicine, there are basically two types of penile curvature: the rarer, congenital form (which affects around 2 percent of all men) is caused by an embryonic malformation. According to studies, however, up to 10 percent of all members of the "stronger sex" suffer from an acquired curvature (Induratio Penis Plastica or IPP for short). However, the cause of the latter has not yet been fully clarified. Experts assume a genetic predisposition that leads to an excessive healing reaction to the smallest injuries, as the Viennese andrologist Dr. Franklin Kuehhas explains.

Penis curvature is not a rare disease
"After such micro-injuries, which can happen during sex, for example, scar tissue forms, which can be felt as a lump and means that the erectile tissue no longer unfolds evenly. The result: a curved or deformed penis," explains the expert in reconstructive andrology. "Although so many men suffer from IPP in the course of their lives, the condition is still considered 'rare' in everyday urological practice. Those affected often don't dare to talk openly about it and go to the doctor with their intimate problem," notes Dr. Kuehhas. Sometimes men have no symptoms at all despite a severe deformation of the penis. On the other hand, even a slight degree can lead to pain, far-reaching problems in their sex life and reduced self-esteem. Dr. Kuehhas therefore advises "to start treatment as soon as the patient perceives the curvature as a burden, even if it is not objectively that pronounced."

In the first, acute phase, IPP often manifests itself through pain in the penis in addition to the resulting curvature and palpable lumps on the shaft. In the chronic phase, the symptoms subside and the curvature does not get any worse. "Initially, conservative treatment methods should be exhausted. In injection therapy, for example, a special enzyme is injected into the scar tissue over a longer period of time in outpatient sessions so that it dissolves and the curvature regresses.

Clarification and treatment at an early stage 
If conservative therapies do not lead to an improvement, surgery should be considered. With newer, alternative surgical procedures, it is now possible to successfully treat a curvature surgically without loss of length," says Dr. Kuehhas. Anyone who notices changes to their penis should consult a specialized urologist as soon as possible. If you wait too long, in the worst case scenario you could lose your erectile function. "Then a simple penis straightening is no longer enough; a penile prosthesis must also be implanted," the doctor points out.

Dr. Franklin Kuehhas & Regina Modl, Kronen Zeitung