Elastosonographic Changes in Patients with Peyronie's Disease, before and after Treatment with a Compound Based on <i>Ecklonia bicyclis</i>, <i>Tribulus terrestris</i>, and Water-Soluble Chitosan

Abstract

Several diagnostic techniques have been proposed during the time for the diagnostic evaluation of Induratio Penis Plastica (IPP), due to poor sensitivity and specificity of standard B-Mode Ultrasonography. Shear-Wave elastosonography (SWE) is a relative new ultrasound technique, already used for several organs, which allows evaluating the rigidity of the tissues. Furthermore, we used a compound consisting of Ecklonia bicyclis , Tribulus terrestris , and Biovis (water-soluble Chitosan) with antifibrotic and antioxidant properties and analyzed the elastosonographic variations following the assumption of the compound. From March 2016 to April 2017, 40 patients were recruited with a mean age of 62. All patients underwent elastosonographic measurements at the start of treatment. Subsequently each patient took 1 tablet of the compound of Ecklonia bicyclis , Tribulus terrestris , and Biovis (water-soluble Chitosan) for 6 months. All patients underwent elastosonographic investigation at the end of treatment. The elastosonographic measurement prior treatment, showed that the average of the three measurements (proximal, medial and distal), was 37.05 KPa ± 7.76 SD and 38.8 KPa ± 10.11 SD for the left and right cavernous body, respectively. The examination at the end of the six months of treatment, with the compound showed that the average values of fibrosity were 31.07 KPa ± 7.5 SD and 30.86 KPa ± 11.4 SD for the left and right cavernous body respectively, demonstrating a decrease in fibrosity that was statistically significant ( P < 0.01). Our data demonstrate that taking the compound for six months reduces the stiffness of the corpora cavernosa.