Intralesional verapamil injection for the treatment of Peyronie's disease.

Peyronie's disease remains a therapeutic dilemma for the practicing urologist. Multiple nonoperative therapies have been offered with variable suboptimal response rates. Calcium channel blockers have been shown to alter the metabolism of fibroblasts, resulting in decreased extracellular matrix secretion of collagen as well as increased collagenase activity. In this nonrandomized dose-escalating format study 14 men received biweekly injections of verapamil into the Peyronie's plaques for 6 months. Subjectively, there was significant improvement in plaque-associated penile narrowing (100%) and curvature (42%). Objectively, a decreased plaque volume of greater than 50% was noted in 30% of the subjects. Plaque softening was noted in all patients, while 83% noticed that plaque-related changes in erectile function had arrested or improved. There was no toxicity nor did symptoms recur when improvement was noted. This preliminary study suggests that intralesional calcium antagonist (verapamil) therapy offers an economical and sensible nonoperative approach to the treatment of Peyronie's disease.