Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE) Treatment for BPH
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Prostate artery embolization (PAE) reduces the size of an enlarged prostate, which can constrict or partially block a man’s urethra. The excess tissue can cause slow urine flow, incomplete bladder emptying, incontinence, urinary frequency, urgency, and other symptoms that affect quality of life.
How It Works
Your doctor makes a small puncture in an artery in your thigh or wrist to guide a microcatheter (tiny flexible tube) into the prostate arteries. Tiny beads (or microspheres) are inserted into the tube and become lodged in the prostate arteries and block blood flow to the prostate.
In the weeks that follow, these microspheres slowly restrict blood supply to the prostate, reducing the prostate to a more normal size. Once this occurs, the urethra is no longer compressed, and urination returns to normal.
PAE is performed by an interventional radiologist who uses x-ray or other imaging techniques to guide instruments during the procedure. A small incision in the upper thigh is all that is needed. PAE takes one-to-two hours and is performed in an outpatient setting (not a hospital).
What You Can Expect with PAE
- No pain with procedure
- Light sedation (twilight sleep)
- Bed rest for 2 hours following the procedure
- Symptoms improvement starts within 3 weeks
- Improvement continues for several months
- 75 – 90% success rate
- Lower risk of side effects such as erectile dysfunction, bleeding, and incontinence, compared to surgery
