Congenital Penile Curvature
Congenital penile curvature as the name indicates, refers to malformation disorder of penis at birth. It is a rare condition and should be differentiated from Peyronie’s disease, which is an acquired disorder of penile curvature caused by build up of fibrous or scar tissue in the cavernous tissue.
Congenital penile curvature is characterized by abnormal bending of penis during erection. It is noteworthy that curvature issues do not resolve or improve with growth.
What are some classic causes of Congenital Penile Curvature?
Congenital penile curvature, unlike acquired disorders like Peyronie’s disease is not a result of an injury to trauma to the penis; patients are born with this condition. Although the exact cause is not known, experts believe that it is the result of unequal or maldevelopment of two penile chambers during fetal life.
Here is what you should know about Congenital Penile Curvature:
- The diagnosis of CPC is often tricky and most cases are not diagnosed until well into puberty
- This condition is often associated with disorders of other genital organs; for example, study reported in Urology journal suggested that hypospadisis over coexist with CPC. It is important to diagnose the coexisting medical conditions in order to devise a promising treatment option for CPC. Another study suggested that males born with this deformity who have large penises experience little/ minimal discomfort during sexual activity
- There is no palpable plaque or scar tissue in the penis
- The diagnosis is made on the results of a simple test, in which the person is given vasoactive agents to artificially cause penile erection to detect any curvature abnormalities
As discussed previously, CPC presents with bending of penis during erection. In addition, affected individuals report painful sexual intercourse and erections due to penile curvature abnormalities.
How to treat Congenital Penile Curvature:
The treatment depends on the degree of penile curvature abnormalities. Cosmetic surgery is needed in cases where penile curvature is significantly abnormal and interferes with normal sexual functions.
If the curvature is mild and there are no symptoms or discomfort, no treatment is needed.