After years of being normal, at age 42, my penis took a bend of about a 45-degree angle halfway down. What might cause this, and can it be returned to normal?

-- Lee

Peyronie's disease is often the cause of painful erections, difficulty achieving or maintaining erections and curvature of the penis with erections. Peyronie's is described as an inflammation of the blood-filled corpora cavernosa (penile erector sets). Patients can often feel a firm plaque at the site of the bend in the penile shaft. Connective tissue disorders such as Dupuytren's contracture, trauma to the penile shaft, and infection have been thought to cause this condition.

While sometimes the condition resolves by itself, surgery may be necessary to remove the scar-like plaques that interfere with the normal blood-filling of the corpora cavernosa at the time of arousal and erection. Following surgery, a penile prosthesis may be necessary to achieve satisfactory intercourse. Other treatments have been tried, but with limited success.