Don’t miss out on life’s best moments
because of frequent urination.
Half of men 50 and older struggle with enlarged prostate, or BPH, and its uncomfortable symptoms.
It’s a common problem. The prostate keeps growing, causing a weak stream, frequency and urgency, and many inconvenient trips to the bathroom.
An enlarged prostate can mean lost sleep, not being able to sit through a movie or a game, or a hesitance to travel. PROSTATE ARTERY EMBOLIZATION (PAE) is a nonsurgical, leading-edge, effective treatment for enlarged prostate that preserves much of the prostate and has a quick recovery period. It has a low risk of urinary incontinence and sexual side effects and greater than 90% of patients see significant improvement in symptoms.
Watch an ARA patient discuss
his PAE procedure
In this video, Michael, an ARA patient, shares his personal journey with BPH, a condition he endured for years, and how PAE, a minimally-invasive procedure, provided the relief he desperately needed. From sleepless nights and constant discomfort to the freedom and confidence that PAE brought back into his life, Michael recounts his experience with honesty, enthusiasm, and a bit of humor.
What are the signs you have an enlarged prostate?
- Frequent and urgent need to urinate
- Getting up several times in the night to urinate
- Urination that produces a small amount of urine and feels incomplete
- Leaking or dribbling urine
- Occasional pain when urinating
- Not being able to urinate at all due to obstruction
What is enlarged prostate or benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH)?
The cells in your prostate continue to grow throughout your life, increasing its size. As you age, it may grow large enough to press on the urethra, making it difficult to pass urine from the bladder. While benign (noncancerous), these symptoms can make life uncomfortable. You may experience the need to urinate frequently and urgently, constantly scouting out bathroom locations, getting up many times in the night, and having pain and bleeding with urination.
More details on prostate artery embolization.
Watch Dr. Marouane Bouchareb
discuss the benefits of PAE
Dr. Bouchareb is a member of the ARA interventional radiology team and an expert in the PAE procedure. Here, he discusses the procedure in detail.
Who is at risk?
The effects of an enlarged prostate are benign, meaning not harmful or connected to the development of cancer. Those at risk include:
- Male patients over the age of 40
- Patients with a family history of BPH
- Obese patients
- Diabetics or patients taking certain medications
What is prostate artery embolization (PAE) treatment?
Prostate artery embolization (PAE) is a minimally-invasive, leading-edge treatment for an enlarged prostate performed with local anesthesia at our outpatient imaging center. An interventional radiologist inserts a catheter into the groin through a tiny nick in the skin and guides the catheter through the vascular system using moving X-ray as guidance to reach the prostate. Once positioned, tiny beads are deposited into the vessels supplying blood to the prostate, blocking them. With the blood supply blocked, the prostate shrinks, decreasing the pressure on the urethra and relieving symptoms.
What are the benefits of PAE?
- Quicker and more comfortable recovery
- Outpatient imaging center procedure versus hospital stay
- Local anesthesia versus general anasthesia
- Low risk of urinary incontence
- Low risk of sexual side effects
Will my insurance cover this procedure?
Generally, insurance companies will pay for prostate artery embolization if they cover prostate surgery. Our interventional case coordinators will help you navigate the insurance process.
Get started on the path to relief with a PAE consult.
You can make steps toward treatment right now by getting in touch with our interventional coordinators at the contacts below. They will discuss prostate artery embolization (PAE) with you and see if it might be the right procedure to relieve your symptoms.
If so, we will help you make an appointment with an ARA interventional radiologist who will discuss your treatment options. It is also recommended that you maintain visits with your urologist before and after your procedure.
Prior to the procedure, you will get a CT of the pelvis and possibly other imaging as required.
For more information, please contact interventional case coordinators at (512) 467-9729. Patients and physicians can fax materials to (512) 343-9099.
Coming in from out of town? Visit our “Traveling to Austin” page.
Get a better understanding of prostate artery embolization by watching this video
The UNC Center for Heart and Vascular Care has produced an explanatory video about prostate artery embolization.
