[Etiologic and diagnostic aspects of Peyronie's disease. Apropos of 42 cases]

The authors present the results from a retrospective study conducted on 42 patients with Peyronie's disease. For each case, all possible etiological factors were investigated, such as family history, history of trauma, history of other collagenoses, of diabetes, and so on. These studies yielded results comparable to published data. Calcifications within the plaques were found on simple X-ray films in 10.8% of cases. Out of 20 radiological examinations of the corpora cavernosa that were performed, 80% demonstrated pathological processes. It was possible, in some of the cases, to measure echographically the plaque widths, while autophotography was useful in a small number of cases. We were more particularly concerned with sexual dysfunction, impotence, and premature ejaculation, which could be observed in 14 patients.