Method for the treatment of peyronie's disease
In a method for treating Peyronie's disease comprises, one forms an incision in a patient's penis and inserts a distal end portion of an elongate probe through the incision so that a distal tip of the probe is in contact with a calcified lesion or fibrotic plaque in the penis. Thereafter the probe is vibrated to disrupt the calcified lesion or fibrotic plaque at a surgical site in the penis. The disrupted calcified lesion or fibrotic plaque is aspirated from the surgical site. Subsequently and after all instruments have been removed from the penis, the incision is closed.
1 . A method for treating Peyronie's disease, comprising:
forming an incision in a patient's penis;
inserting a distal end portion of an elongate probe through said incision so that a distal tip of said probe is in contact with a calcified lesion or fibrotic plaque in the penis;
thereafter vibrating said probe to disrupt said calcified lesion or fibrotic plaque at a surgical site in the penis;
aspirating the disrupted calcified lesion or fibrotic plaque from the penis;
removing all instruments from the penis; and
after the aspirating of the disrupted calcified lesion or fibrotic plaque from the penis and after the removing of all instruments, closing said incision.
2 . The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising applying a liquid solution to said surgical site prior to or during the vibrating of said probe.
3 . The method defined in claim 2 wherein the applying of said liquid solution includes feeding said liquid solution via said probe.
4 . The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising applying a cauterization current to said surgical site prior to the removing of all instruments.
5 . The method defined in claim 4 wherein the applying of cauterization current includes conducting said cauterization current to the surgical site via said probe.
6 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said probe is an ultrasound probe and the vibrating of said probe is at ultrasonic frequencies.
7 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said probe is a hollow metal cannula and the vibrating of said probe is at frequencies substantially below ultrasonic frequencies.
8 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein the aspirating of the disrupted calcified lesion or fibrotic plaque includes applying suction to said surgical site via said probe.
9 . The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising moving, during the vibrating of said probe, said probe back and forth over the calcified lesion or fibrotic plaque in a plane substantially parallel to a skin surface of the penis.