Prostatic Artery Embolization
What is prostatic artery embolization (PAE)?
Prostatic artery embolization is a minimally invasive procedure that helps improve lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is a noncancerous growth of the prostate.
What happens during prostatic artery embolization?
Prostatic artery embolization is usually performed as an outpatient procedure and no general anesthesia is required. You’re given a mild sedative, but remain awake.
Tiny incision
The procedure begins with a tiny incision in your upper thigh or wrist to gain access to your arterial system. The interventional radiologist will then guide a catheter to the blood vessels that feed into the prostate after doing an arteriogram, which is a test where a harmless dye is injected to see how blood flows.
Injecting the microspheres
Once the correct vessels are found, tiny, round particles called ‘microspheres’ are injected into the catheter. As a result, blood flow to the prostate is blocked, allowing the prostate to shrink and relieve your symptoms.
Risks of prostatic artery embolization
While prostatic artery embolization is generally considered safe and effective, there are some risks, too.
Some potential complications after the procedure include blood in the urine, semen, or stool; infection; or a hematoma at the incision site.
It’s also possible to experience nausea, fever, pelvic pain, or painful/frequent urination for a few days after your procedure.