Prostate artery embolization (PAE) is a minimally invasive interventional radiology procedure designed to treat the symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), a common condition among men ages 45+ that’s characterized by an enlargement of the prostate. When left untreated, BPH can cause a variety of issues such as urinary tract infections, bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones, and even incontinence.
There are a few different treatment options for patients with BPH, but many are highly invasive or have a high likelihood for complications. Through interventional radiology technology, prostate artery embolization has emerged as an innovative, non-invasive treatment alternative for patients with BPH. Here’s everything you need to know about the procedure!
What Is Prostate Artery Embolization & What Does It Treat?
One in four men over the age of 55 and about half of the men over 75 have an enlarged prostate. As the prostate grows, men may experience issues with their bladder and urinary tract such as:
The inability to completely void urine.
Increased urinary frequency and urgency, especially at night.
Pain or straining while trying to urinate.
Urinary incontinence either partially or completely.
Prostate artery embolization is an interventional radiology procedure designed to fix these issues. During the procedure, your radiologist uses an x-ray to view the prostate. They then insert a catheter into the urethra all the way to the bladder. The doctor then maps the blood vessels feeding the prostate (using an arteriogram and dye). Once the physician can see the route, they insert small round microspheres (particles) into the catheter and into the mapped blood vessels. These particles are designed to reduce the blood flow to the prostate, effectively shrinking it in size and alleviating the pressure on the bladder and urinary tract system.
How Long Does Prostate Artery Embolization Take?
Unlike other treatment options for BPH, PAE is performed as an outpatient procedure and takes between 1-4 hours for most patients. Patients do not have to stay overnight for recovery, and can go home the same day!
What Are The Risks Of Prostate Artery Embolization?
As with any medical procedure, there are some risks associated with prostate artery embolization. Some mild symptoms categorized as “post-PAE syndrome” may occur in select patients, and typically include:
Frequent or painful urination
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Pelvic pain
Very rare but more serious risks include infection, bladder spasm, blood in semen, urine, or stool, sexual dysfunction, and hematoma at the incision site. Although PAE does have some risks, the majority of patients experience little to no side effects and the procedure as a whole carries a much lower risk than other more invasive treatment methods.
How Quickly Will I See Results From Prostate Artery Embolization?
Because PAE doesn’t involve any surgical removal of part of the prostate, patients don’t see immediate results the second the procedure is over. Most patients start to see results 1-2 months after the procedure, with continued improvement and disappearance of symptoms by around 5-6 months after undergoing PAE.
How Long Do Results From PAE Last?
PAE is still a relatively new procedure so there’s not enough long-term data to say for sure exactly how long the results from PAE will last, but the medical studies that have been conducted so far look very promising. Most patients experience symptom relief for at least 3-4 years, and studies indicate that the results could last much longer.
Millions of men suffer from an enlarged prostate due to BPH, but thanks to innovations within interventional radiology non-invasive treatment options like PAE are becoming much more accessible to patients across the country. If you suffer from BPH and are interested in learning more about whether prostate artery embolization might be right for you, contact the experts at Bay Imaging Consultants today.