In a nutshell
This paper examined the use of collagenase clostridium histolyticum (CCH [Xiaflex]) in men with Peyronie’s disease (PD). The study found that safety of CCH treatment was not affected by severity of PD.
Some background
PD is an abnormal curve in the penis caused by a build-up of scar tissue. It is usually graded by the angle of the curve. CCH is a protein taken from a bacteria that can be used to break down the scar tissue. This may be injected into the penis curve to treat PD. It is necessary to research the safety of using CCH to treat different angles of PD.
Methods & findings
539 patients with PD were included in this study. Patients who had a penis curve greater than 30 degrees (77%) were compared to patients with a penis curve less than 30 degrees (23%). The patient group with a greater curve underwent 1,204 cycles of CCH treatment. Patient groups with a lesser curve underwent 289 cycles of treatment in total.
The occurrence of serious side effects was similar between the two groups. Serious side effects included broken tissue on the penis (3 cases) and bruising (3 cases).
Other side effects were more common in patients with less than a 30 degrees curve. These were penile swelling (21.1%), penile bleeding (12.8%), and discoloration of the penis (1%). In patients with a greater curve, penile swelling occurred in 14.5%, penile bleeding in 8.9%, and discolouration in 0.1% of patients.
The bottom line
The study concluded that there was no difference in side effects of CCH treatment for different degrees of penile curve in PD.
The fine print
More studies are needed on CCH treatment in patients with a lesser penis curvature.
Published By :
Urology
Date :
May 10, 2017
