Prostate Artery Embolization
It used to be that men would either live with the misery of an enlarged prostate or undergo surgery that could leave them with erectile dysfunction. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case.
There are now a handful of minimally invasive options that can alleviate benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms, and do so with minimal disruption to the healthy tissue around the prostate gland.
At Florida Endovascular and Interventional, we’re here to tell you about a medical treatment you may not be aware of. This exciting, relatively new procedure offers long-term relief – and that relief can begin within days of treatment. We’re talking about prostate artery embolization.
What Is Prostate Artery Embolization?
This minimally invasive procedure partially blocks blood flow to your prostate gland, which allows the gland to shrink in size. It may take a few months to experience the full effects of the procedure, but most often, relief is felt within mere days.
Do you think you may have an enlarged prostate (BPH)?
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Importantly, a prostate artery embolization (PAE) has never been associated with sexual dysfunction or impotence, unlike many surgical options for an enlarged prostate (also called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH).
Prostate embolization is one of the newest and most promising options available to patients, particularly those who are averse to surgical procedures or who may not good candidates for more invasive procedures.
What to Expect
Our interventional radiologists use real-time imaging to guide a prostate artery embolization, which is performed on an outpatient basis in a surgery suite at one of our offices. Your comfort is assured with us – you will be sedated and should feel no pain or discomfort the entire time.
During the procedure, a small, flexible catheter is guided from an artery in your groin toward the prostate. A contrast dye is typically injected to help identify the vessels feeding your prostate.
Once the catheter is in place, tiny particles are released through the catheter and positioned in the artery to block blood flow to the prostate. This process is repeated for the artery on both sides of the gland.
This procedure has been able to shrink the prostate up to 40% – without the need for surgery.
How Long Does It Last?
Most men experience near immediate and long-lasting relief with a prostate artery embolization. How long the effects last will vary from person to person, however, 2-3 years seems to be the average. Repeating the procedure is safe and effective should symptomatic prostate enlargement recur.
Benefits of Prostate Artery Embolization
Compared to other available choices, there are striking benefits to a minimally invasive prostate artery embolization procedure. Benefits include:
- Fast relief of your prostate symptoms
- No risk of sexual side effects
- Same-day outpatient procedure
- Quick recovery – no downtime
- Long-lasting symptom relief
Prostate Treatment Without the Risk of ED
If you have an enlarged prostate, you have treatment options. You may want to consider the safe, effective, long-term benefits of a minimally invasive procedure called prostate artery embolization, or PAE.
Our interventional radiologists have the expertise you need to relieve your symptoms without harming any healthy tissue around the prostate. Call Florida Endovascular and Interventional at (786) 534-2555 for more information or request your appointment now. We have four convenient South Florida locations to serve you.
