What is it about?

This article is a comparative study focusing on the tunica albuginea—the tough, fibrous outer sheath that surrounds the erection chambers and determines the shape of the penis. The Normal State: It describes how a healthy tunica consists of organized, elastic fibers that stretch uniformly during an erection to create a straight, rigid structure. The Diseased State: It contrasts this with Peyronie's disease, where sections of this elastic tissue turn into rigid, inelastic scar tissue (plaques). The Result: It explains anatomically why the penis bends: when blood rushes in, the healthy side stretches, but the scarred side acts like a tether, forcing the penis to curve in the direction of the plaque.

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Why is it important?

Demystifying the Disease: It helps patients understand that their curvature is caused by a tangible, structural defect—a scar—not a muscle spasm or a psychological issue. Foundation for Treatment: It is crucial for surgeons. Understanding the exact thickness, composition, and location of these plaques compared to normal tissue is essential for planning surgeries like plaque incision and grafting. Explaining Erection Loss: It also helps explain why severe Peyronie's can lead to ED, as the fibrotic changes can interfere with the blood-trapping mechanism of the tunic.

Perspectives

The Patient's View: A moment of clarity. "Okay, so it's like a patch of leather sewn onto a balloon. That explains why it bends and hurts when it tries to expand." The Surgeon's View: This is the necessary blueprint for reconstruction. To restore a straight shape without destroying function, we must precisely distinguish between the diseased plaque that needs attention and the healthy tissue that must be preserved.

Professor Geng-Long Hsu
Microsurgical Potency Reconstruction and Research Center, Hsu’s Andrology

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: The Anatomy of the Tunica Albuginea in the Normal Penis and Peyronie's Disease, The Journal of Urology, January 1997, Wolters Kluwer Health,
DOI: 10.1016/s0022-5347(01)65359-x.
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