Surgical treatment of Peyronie’s disease by plaque incision and grafting with buccal mucosa

Background: Plaque incision and tunical grafting is widely used to correct penile curvatures secondary to Peyronie’s disease (PD), but there is no consensus on the ideal graft to be used. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and reproducibility of plaque incision and buccal mucosa grafting (BMG) in the correction of severe penile curvatures secondary to PD. Design, setting, and participants: Fifteen patients reporting normal erections and stable curvature (>12-mo duration) entered this prospective study carried out at two university hospitals. Intervention: All patients underwent plaque incision and BMG. Measurements: Preoperative evaluation included the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) and penile duplex ultrasounds with measurement of curvature and length of affected side. Follow-up visits were scheduled at 1, 3, 6, and 12 mo postoperatively, then yearly. Three-mo postoperative evaluation included IIEF-5, patient and partner satisfaction, and intracavernous injection test with evaluation of penile rigidity, straightness, and length; patient and partner satisfaction was recorded at all subsequent visits. Results and limitations: Mean patient age was 56.3 yr and mean penile curvature 728; five patients had a two-sided curvature with mean second curvature of 378. There were no complications. All patients resumed unassisted intercourse 1 mo after surgery. Three-mo postoperative evaluation showed 100% penile straightening, 1.8-cm mean increase in length of affected side, no curvature recurrence or de novo erectile dysfunction, 1.6 mean increase in IIEF-5 score, and patient and partner satisfaction of 93.3% and 100%, respectively. Although results remained stable at subsequent follow-up (mean 13.1 mo), a greater number of patients and longer follow-up are needed before drawing any definite conclusions. Conclusions: BMG provided excellent short-term results, probably because its prompt revascularisation, suggested by the fast return of spontaneous erections, prevented shrinkage, which is the main cause of graft failure. It also proved to be safe and reproducible, thus representing a valuable treatment option for PD.