Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Shock Wave Therapy in the Treatment of Peyronie's Disease among Patients Visiting Imam Rezai Hospital in Tabriz between 2021-2023

Background and Objective: Peyronie's disease is a relatively rare urological disorder that can cause pain during erection, penile angle deviation, and sexual dysfunction due to the formation of plaque in the tunica albuginea part of the male penis. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for the management of Peyronie's disease is one of the emerging interventions. In this study, we aim to explore the effects of ESWT on Peyronie's disease. Materials and Methods: We studied patients with the acute phase of Peyronie's who were treated with ESWT during the past two years, from 2021 to 2023. All patients were referred to the urology clinic of Imam Reza Hospital. Information including age, characteristics of fibrotic plaques, concurrent treatments other than ESWT, International Erectile Dysfunction Index (IIEF-5), and the severity of pain was extracted and documented from the patients' records by the urologist before and after the treatment. Results: The average age of the studied patients was 54.1 years. Eight percent of patients had a history of trauma to the penis, 30% suffered from diabetes, and 36% had high blood pressure. According to the statistical analysis, ESWT reduced pain and elevated the IIEF-5 score. However, this treatment had no impact on the length of the plaque. Conclusion: ESWT, as a non-invasive intervention, can lessen pain sooner than the normal progression of the disease and improve the sexual performance of the individual. However, this approach had no significant effect on the length of Peyronie's plaque.