Dr. Levine Traction Study

[Hawk]

I am certain we had the numbers of Dr. Levine's traction study on the forum but in just searching around I don't see it.  Does anyone know where it is.  It needs to be in our Resource Library and a sticky post at the top of this board.  The study I am looking for is the straight traction study not the combined study with VI and traction.

[user of no names]

Its called Penile Traction Therapy for Treatment of Peyronie's Disease: A Single-Center Pilot Study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine June 2008.  Here is a link to the abstract.  Penile traction therapy for treatment of Peyronie'... [J Sex Med. 2008] - PubMed - NCBI

J Sex Med. 2008 Jun;5(6):1468-73. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2008.00814.x. Epub 2008 Mar 26.
Penile traction therapy for treatment of Peyronie's disease: a single-center pilot study.
Levine LA, Newell M, Taylor FL.
Source

Department of Urology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA. drlevine@hotmail.com
Abstract
INTRODUCTION:

Peyronie's disease (Peyronies Disease) is a fibrotic disorder of the penis whose etiopathophysiology remains unclear. At this time, there is no known reliable nonsurgical treatment. This study reviews our experience with external penile traction therapy to correct the deformity associated with this disorder.
AIM:

To evaluate prolonged external penile traction as a nonsurgical treatment for Peyronies Disease.
METHODS:

Ten men with Peyronies Disease completed this noncontrolled pilot study of traction therapy using the FastSize Penile Extender. Nearly all (90%) had failed prior medical therapy. Traction was applied as the only treatment for 2-8 hours/day for 6 months. All subjects underwent pre- and post-treatment physical examination including measurement of stretched flaccid penile length (SPL) and biothesiometry.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Curvature and girth were measured during erection before and after treatment with dynamic duplex ultrasound. Assessment of erectile and sexual function was further assessed with the International Index of Erectile Function and Quality of Life Specific to Male Erection Difficulties (QOL-MED) questionnaires. At 3 and 6 months post-treatment, SPL was measured and subjective assessment of deformity by the patient was recorded.
RESULTS:

Subjectively all men noted reduced curvature estimated at 10-40 degrees, increased penile length (1-2.5 cm) and enhanced girth in areas of indentation or narrowing. Objective measures demonstrated reduced curvature in all men from 10-45 degrees; average reduction for the group was 33% (51-34 degrees). SPL increased 0.5-2.0 cm and erect girth increased 0.5-1.0 cm with correction of hinge effect in four out of four men. International Index of Erectile Function-erectile function domain increased from 18.3-23.6 for the group. Changes in quality of life by QOL-MED were not found to be statistically significant in this small series. There were no adverse events including skin changes, ulcerations, hypoesthesia or diminished rigidity.
CONCLUSION:

Prolonged daily external penile traction therapy is a new approach for the nonsurgical treatment of Peyronies Disease. Further study appears warranted given the response noted in this pilot study.

[james1947]

PMan2

Thanks for the link and report.
What I am wandering why in the 5 years following this pilot study no one of the leading Peyronies doctors had made a more large study in the subject.

James

[ashtown]

What I am wandering why in the 5 years following this pilot study no one of the leading Peyronies doctors had made a more large study in the subject.

In a documentary I watched recently called Forks Over Knives they pointed out there is no money in dead people and very little money in finding a cure, however there is a middle ground where people march along for years with chronic illnesses that is extremely profitable for doctors. After all these years of minimal research and even less success I can't help but feeling Peyronies fits in that category.  

[Jonbinspain]

Yes, you can bet that if he pharmaceutical industry smelt enough money in it, they'd be working flat out on a cure right now.

[Hawk]

That is very true Jonbinspain.  I don't see that as incredible, or an evil, just the facts.  What we are saying is that if a group of investors don't see any monetary benefit in doing something then they probably won't spend millions to do that thing.  It is certainly not a medical, or a pharmaceutical thing.  It is a human thing.  We do not tend do something for which we will get no reward or payoff.

Its the very same reason less than .1% (an astounding number) of the members (not to mention the many guests) using our forum decline the request to help with projects or other responsibilities of running the forum.  I guess you could say most of us share that same attitude that we often criticize in others.  

When do we criticize it?  Answer: When it does not benefit us, which brings us full circle.