Curved penis - Causes and Symptoms

Definition

The curvature of the penis may be present at birth (congenital) or arise during life (acquired) due to various causes. The deviation can be lateral (towards the right or left), dorsal (towards the top) or ventral (towards the bottom) and, generally, it is more evident at puberty or in adulthood.

In most cases, slight penile curvatures are to be considered physiological, as they are irrelevant from a functional or aesthetic point of view. The properly pathological curved penis can instead cause problems during sexual activity, as it prevents penetration or makes it painful for the partner (especially if the deviation is very pronounced). Moreover, it tends more easily to be affected by traumatisms.

This penile anomaly can be corrected surgically.

Acquired causes

The curved penis on an acquired basis is a symptom frequently encountered in Peyronie's disease (or induratio penis plastica). It is a disease caused by the appearance of fibrotic plaques on the albuginea tunic, which covers the cavernous bodies of the penis.

The presence of this thickening limits the natural elasticity of this tissue and does not allow the male sexual organ to relax normally during an erection and, less frequently, even in a state of flaccidity.

Peyronie's disease therefore causes the deviation of the penis towards the side affected by the fibrotic process.

Other forms of acquired curvatures are post-traumatic . These may appear after a sharp and painful flexion of the penis during sexual activity or, more rarely, after sports or motor trauma that has affected the pelvis.

The curved penis can also represent a consequence of post-priapism or various diseases that compromise the penile circulation, such as diabetes mellitus.

Congenital causes

Congenital causes may include, however, a disharmonious development of the various structures that constitute the penis (eg torsions and asymmetry of development of one of the cavernous bodies), phimosis and paraphimosis. The latter two penile anomalies can also be acquired and secondary to recurrent inflammations (balanopostites). Congenital curvatures occur mainly at puberty when the tissues of the male sexual organ undergo rapid growth.