François Gigot de La Peyronie
François Gigot de La Peyronie (1678-1747) was a French surgeon.
Peyronie described a disorder characterized by induration of the corpora cavernosa of the penis. This condition is now referred to as Peyronie’s disease.
Founder of the French Royal Academy of Surgery (1731)
Eponymously remembered for his partially accurate description of the condition know termed Peyronie disease in 1743
Biography
- Born January 15, 1678, Montpellier
- 1695 – Maistre-chirurgien et barbier de Montpellier
- 1704 – surgeon at the l’Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Eloi in Montpellier
- 1714 – surgeon-major at the Hôpital de la Charité
- 1731 – Founded de l’Académie Royale de Chirurgie. President from 1736-1747
- 1736 – Personal Surgeon to King Louis XV (1710 – 1774)
- Died 25 April 1747, Montpellier
Medical Eponyms
Peyronie disease [aka Lapeyronie disease]
Lapeyronie disease refers to plaques (flat scar tissue) forming under the skin of the penis. The plaques can be palpated through the skin; are often painful; and can cause the penis to bend or become indented during erections.
1743 – La Peyronie described three cases of ‘hard tumors in cavernous bodies ‘ accompanied by painful erection and curvature of the penis on the lesion side. He described these tumors as nodules or ganglions, sometimes extended like the beads of a rosary, from one end to the other of the two bodies.
…tumeurs dures dans les corps caverneux…en forme de nodules ou de ganglions, allongés parfois comme les grains d’un chapelet, d’un bout à l’autre des deux corps
La Peyronie 1743
Although his description is accurate, the proposed aetiology was less so. He suspected venereal disease as a cause and the treatment recommended was that for syphilis, with mercurial preparations and potassium iodide.
This illness…which is not rare among elderly men, particularly among those sexually very active, is sometimes also the result of a venereal disease…the resistance of these indurations to the specific treatment makes me think that, with regard to their healing, they could be considered as remains of venereal diseases
If mercurial options failed, the thermal waters of Barèges in the Pyrenees was suggested…and was apparently more successful…
While the patient healed from his old injury, thanks to the waters, he took the shower over the induration, and observed that during a season of water treatment the induration decreased considerably. The first sign of success induced the patient to continue the same treatment. Repeated showers for one more season, completed the softening of this induration, the erections regained their old shape, and the semen its normal ejaculation.
Major Publications
- LaPeyronie FG. Observations avec des reflexions sur la cure des hernies avec gangrene. Mémoires de l’Académie royale de chirurgie. 1743; 1: 337-342
- De La Peyronie F. Sur quelques obstacles qui s’opposent à l’éjaculation naturelle de la semence. Mémoires de l’Académie royale de chirurgie. 1743; 1: 425-434 [Peyronie disease]
References
Biography
- François GIGOT de LAPEYRONIE 1678-1747 Premier chirurgien et confident du roi. Portraits de Médecins
- Dunsmuir WD, Kirby RS. Francois de LaPeyronie (1978-1747): the man and the disease he described. Br J Urol. 1996 Oct;78(4):613-22.
- Androutsos G. François Gigot de Lapeyronie (1678-1747). Prog Urol, 2002, 12, 526-532
- Fischer LP, Ferrandis JJ, Blatteau JE. François de Lapeyronie, de Montpellier (1678-1747). “Restaurateur de la chirurgie” et esprit universel l’ame, le musc, les oeufs de coq [François de Lapeyronie, from Montpellier (1678-1747). “Surgery restorer” and universal spirit. The soul, Musc, rooster eggs]. Hist Sci Med. 2009 Jul-Sep;43(3):241-8.
- Carriere SP, Pytell JD, Saltzman AF, Fuselier HA. Peyronie’s Disease: A Historical Perspective. Am J Mens Health. 2014 Sep;8(5):434-9.
Eponym
the person behind the name
