Quick Facts
Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE)
- Minimally invasive procedure
Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE) is a minimally invasive treatment for men with enlarged prostate (BPH) who want an alternative to traditional surgery. Performed by a specialized interventional radiologist, PAE works by reducing the abnormal blood flow to the prostate, causing it to shrink and relieving urinary symptoms such as frequency, urgency, and weak stream. The procedure is done through a tiny catheter—typically without general anesthesia—and patients go home the same day with a quick recovery.
We partner with PrecisionIR in Farmington Hills to offer this advanced treatment option. If you’re interested in learning whether PAE is right for you, more info is at www.MyPrecisionIR.com. Our Comprehensive Urology Team can help coordinate a consultation.
What is Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE)?
Patients with severe benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are sometimes told that invasive surgery is their only option for treatment. This convenient outpatient procedure can alleviate BPH symptoms for most men without the need for surgery.
PAE is performed by an interventional radiologist who, using imaging guidance, inserts a tiny catheter into an artery in the patient’s upper thigh or wrist, and then guides it through the body’s blood vessels to the arteries supplying blood to the prostate. Tiny beads called ‘microspheres’ are released through the catheter and into the arteries, blocking blood flow to the prostate. With reduced blood flow, the prostate shrinks and symptoms are relieved.
Benefits of PAE vs. TURP
Transurethral resection of prostate, or TURP, is the standard surgical treatment for BPH symptoms. TURP is performed by a urologist under general anesthesia in which they remove prostate tissue from within/around the urethra.
Prostate artery embolization offers an effective way to treat BPH symptoms without the increased risks of invasive surgery. Many randomized control trials have shown that TURP is associated with increased risks of bleeding, the requirement for in-patient hospitalization, and an increased rate of bladder catheterization when compared to prostate artery embolization.
The benefits of PAE include:
- High success rate (75-95%)
- No hospitalization required
- No anesthesia needed
- Shorter recovery
- Minimal pain
- Few reported side effects
- Typically less expensive than surgery
Who Is a Typical PAE Patient?
Prostate artery embolization should be considered for patients who can no longer tolerate medical management, who have failed medical management, who are considered poor surgical candidates, or who wish to avoid invasive surgery. It also offers a definitive treatment option for multiple underserved patient groups, who may have previously not had satisfactory urologic options available. Examples include elderly patients with multiple comorbidities, patients with very large prostate glands, patients with indwelling urinary catheters, and patients who wish to preserve sexual function.
A typical prostate artery embolization patient is an active man over the age of 50 with symptoms that interfere with their everyday life. PAE is recommended for patients who:
- Have failed medical therapy
- Have an enlarged prostate gland (>50g)
- Do not wish to have surgery
- Have refractory hematuria (blood in the urine despite treatment)
- Have chronic kidney disease due to an enlarged prostate
