Functional Penile Length After Penile Plication: “Empha-sizing” What Matters

Abstract

ObjectiveTo reassess penile length changes after penile plication (PP), we defined a novel measurement of functional penile length (FPL) and compared preoperative and postoperative measurements. PP reduces penile curvature in Peyronie's Disease (PD) patients, but is traditionally thought to reduce overall penile length. However, the literature on PD lacks a standardization for penile length measurement techniques, leading to high inter-study variability. MethodsA prospectively maintained database of PD patients who underwent PP from 2018-2021 was queried. FPL was obtained by measuring the erect penis from the base of the pubis to the tip of the glans, as a straight line disregarding any curvature. Intraoperative assessment of FPL was performed before incision and immediately after surgical correction. ResultsOf 28 patients included, the average age was 59, average SHIM was 17, and average PDQ was 9. Curvature was unidirectional in 16 patients (57%) and bidirectional in 12 (43%). Dorsal curvature was most common (71%). The average curve severity was 37 ± 8.6 degrees. Mean FPL pre-operatively was 11.1 ± 1.4 cm and 12.5 ± 1.3 cm post-operatively. This represented an average 12.8% ± 6.6% increase in FPL following plication. All 28 patients reported subjective improvement in their curvature. ConclusionFunctional penile length is a useful primary surgical outcome when describing post-operative expectations for penile plication. We report an increase in FPL achieved for PD treated with PP despite conventionally being considered a shortening procedure. This can be an invaluable tool for preoperative counseling and setting expectations for penile length.