Cavernitis is a disease of an infectious and inflammatory nature, in which the cavernous (cavernous) bodies of the penis are affected. Despite the fact that penis cavernitis is not a common disease, every man should be familiar with the main symptoms of cavernitis and know the answer to the question of how to treat cavernitis.
The content of the article:
Causes of cavernitis
Symptoms of cavernitis
Diagnosis of cavernitis
Treatment of cavernitis
Cavernite
The cavernous bodies are responsible for the onset and maintenance of an erection. Therefore, in the absence of timely treatment of cavernitis, erectile dysfunction may develop. There are two cylindrical cavernous bodies in the penis, as well as a spongy body (spongy), in the middle of which there is a urethra. With cavernitis, one of the cavernous bodies may be affected, both at once (in this case, a left-sided, right-sided or two-sided cavernitis occurs), as well as a spongy body.
Causes of cavernitis
Cavernitis of the penis can form as a result of injuries, namely after:
penis injuries;
surgical intervention with damage to cavernous bodies;
injections of various substances and drugs into the penis;
Foley catheter use for a long time.
Cavernitis also provokes infections. Most often, inflammation of the cavernous bodies is caused by urethritis, one of the inflammatory purulent diseases (sore throat, sinusitis, caries, carbuncle, osteomyelitis, etc.). Syphilitic cavernitis is isolated separately.
There are chronic and acute forms of cavernitis, chronic often develops if the necessary treatment is not carried out with an acute inflammatory process.
Depending on the origin, there is syphilitic and fracture cavernitis. In the syphilitic form, nodules arise directly in the cavernous bodies, basically, they do not completely disappear even after treatment. This form occurs in patients in the tertiary period of syphilis.
With a fracture form, the inflammatory process penetrates into the cavernous bodies and the spongy body from the mucous membrane of the urethra through the submucosal tissue. Nodules in this form often completely dissolve, but there are cases when they persist, lead to deformation of the penis, can provoke a breakthrough of pus.
Symptoms of cavernitis
Acute cavernitis has obvious signs, unlike chronic cavernitis, the symptoms of which the patient may not immediately notice or take for signs signaling another disease.
The acute form of cavernitis is characterized by an acute painful onset. There are pronounced pain sensations in the penis. Noticeable seals are felt. The appearance of the penis changes: it increases in size, there is swelling, severe redness, there is a stable erection without sexual arousal.
As with any other inflammatory process, body temperature can significantly increase, well-being deteriorates, chills, headache will appear.
If you do not show such symptoms to a doctor, and do not take immediate treatment of cavernitis, there may be suppuration of seals in cavernous bodies. As a result, the abscess ruptures, pus gets out or into the urethra, which can lead to significant deformation of the penis and make it impossible to have a full sexual life.
With untimely or insufficient treatment of the acute form, the disease can flow into a chronic form. Also, chronic inflammation can be the result of urethritis. With chronic cavernitis, pain sensations are not acute, they occur during an erection. Painful compaction may occur, and erectile dysfunction develops over time.
Diagnosis of cavernitis
When diagnosing cavernitis, first of all there is a need to determine the causative agent. In order to identify or exclude sexually transmitted infections, specialists prescribe various studies:
bacteriological seeding of the discharge from the urethra and its contents directly;
bacterioscopy of a smear taken from the urethra;
DNA examination (mainly by PCR method) of scraping from the urogenital tract.
To identify a common infection that caused the inflammatory process, the following studies are prescribed:
clinical blood test;
biochemical blood analysis;
a blood test designed to identify tumor markers;
general urine analysis;
Ultrasound of the penis.
To identify the indicators of DNA viruses of herpes, cytomegalovirus, ureaplasma, mycoplasma and chlamydia, blood or urine is taken for DNA diagnostics.
Symptoms of cavernitis must necessarily be shown to a urologist, andrologist, with syphilitic or gonorrheal nature of inflammation, a venereologist’s consultation will be needed.
Chronic cavernitis is diagnosed using cavernosography and urethroscopy. Cavernosography provides an X-ray of the penis in an erect state. During this procedure, a contrast agent is injected in advance. A series of images makes it possible to identify plaques, atrophied fragments, get information about the structure of cavernous bodies, etc. Urethroscopy consists in examining the urethra with an endoscope. It is carried out with an empty bladder, using local anesthesia.
Chronic cavernitis, the symptoms of which do not always make it possible to accurately determine this disease, should be distinguished from the following diseases during diagnosis:
fibroplastic induration of the penis (seals have a cartilaginous consistency);
the appearance of gum of the penis (while the formations have a lower density and a rounder shape, you can also check for a positive RW reaction);
sarcoma of cavernous bodies (in this case, the process of development of seals occurs faster, there are also no symptoms of the inflammatory process);
tuberculosis.
Treatment of cavernitis
After confirming the diagnosis of “cavernitis”, treatment is prescribed only by a specialist and is carried out under the supervision of medical professionals. There are several ways to treat the disease — it depends on what caused it, and in what form the disease proceeds. In acute inflammatory process, hospitalization is required. The attending physician prescribes antibiotics, restorative, immunomodulatory drugs. The treatment of the disease that caused inflammation of the cavernous tissues is being carried out. After overcoming the acute period, physiotherapy is prescribed (electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, ultrasound and laser therapy). The reception of funds that contribute to the resorption of nodes is carried out. In the chronic form, special attention is paid to physiotherapy.
If abscesses occur, surgical intervention becomes the solution to the problem. The surgeon opens the abscess and drains it.
Folk remedies do not give a chance to cure cavernitis. Experts note that with untimely access to a doctor and self-medication based on lotions and compresses with herbal infusions, the acute form flows into a chronic one.
In the most advanced cases, there is a deformity of the penis (Peyronie’s disease) or a lack of erection. Correction of these problems is carried out after completion of the course of treatment of inflammation. When treatment is started after the first symptoms are detected, there are no complications from the transferred cavernitis.
When the penis is curved, surgical correction of its shape is performed. To do this, depending on the degree of deviation and the size of the penis, choose one of the following operations:
shortening of the protein shell on the side opposite to excision by excision of the shell or the use of pleating sutures;
Elongation of the shell from the side of the curvature using an implant made of synthetic or natural material.
In case of the disappearance of an erection, it is recommended to perform a falloprosthesis. During this surgical intervention, a prosthesis is inserted into the penis. Prostheses can consist of two or three components. They can be pneumatic, semi-rigid and rigid. Pneumatic (hydraulic) prostheses consist of a pump with cylinders and a reservoir with liquid, which help to achieve a controlled erection. Semi-rigid and rigid prostheses provide a permanent state of erection.
During antibiotic therapy for cavernitis, no special diet is prescribed. It is desirable to take lacto- and bifidobacteria, which contribute to the restoration of microflora. Alcohol consumption is unacceptable. Its combination with antibiotics can cause intoxication.
After recovery, the doctor often recommends excluding sexual acts for a period of one to one and a half months. This is due to the fact that there is an increased risk of infection and reinfection of cavernous bodies.
To prevent the occurrence of this disease, timely treatment of any infectious diseases (especially urethritis, angina) is necessary. You should also avoid penile injuries, and if even minor injuries occur, contact specialists.
