Objective measurements of the penile angulation are significantly different than self-estimated magnitude among patients with penile curvature.

INTRODUCTION: The study was aimed to assess the presence of actual differences between the objective and the perceived magnitude of a curvature between patients affected by Peyronie's disease (PD) and congenital penile curvature (CPC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wee analysed a cohort of 88 consecutive patients seeking medical help for either CPC or PD. All patients were invited to provide a self-made drawing of their penis in erection in order to obtain self-provided description of the deformity. An objective measurement of the deformity was also performed drawing two intersecting lines through the center of the distal and proximal straight section of the penile shaft.

RESULTS: Our findings showed significant differences between patient self-estimation and the objective measurements of the penile angulation performed by trained experts, with only 32% of patients correctly assessing their own curvature. Overall, patients tended to overestimate (56%) their degree of curvature, but the results are different in patients with PD than those with CPC. In the 60 men (68%) who did not accurately assess their curvature, PD patients generally overestimated their curvature versus CPC patients (67% vs 16%). On the contrary CPC patients underestimated their curvature compared to PD (42% vs. 4%).

CONCLUSION: In order to improve patients' satisfaction rates, the surgeon needs to take into consideration the patient's perception of the deformity when planning the type of surgical correction.