Finding out you have benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) brings lots of questions. You want to know the best way to treat your urinary symptoms, like an increased need to go and trouble holding it. At UVA Health, you'll find experts to guide you on the best treatment. A procedure like prostate artery embolization (PAE) can help.
BPH is when your prostate grows in size (enlarged prostate). It's the most common benign tumor that happens in men. It affects many men as they get older, appearing in those over 50.
BPH isn't cancer. But it can cause uncomfortable lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), like:
- Need to get up to urinate at night
- Trouble starting or stopping urination
- Weak urine stream
- Leaking urine or constant feeling of needing to urinate
- Unable to urinate without treatment (a small tube to let urine out)
- Infections
- Blood in urine
- Sexual issues
Prostate Artery Embolization at UVA Health
When it comes to PAE, experience matters. Choosing UVA Health for a prostatic artery embolization procedure means expert care from a team that understands your needs. Our specialists have many years of experience managing BPH with special techniques, like PAE.
What is PAE?
Prostatic artery embolization uses smaller cuts (incisions) and tiny instruments compared with traditional surgery (is a minimally invasive procedure). We make a small cut on your wrist to do the PAE. This means you may have:
- Less pain
- Less scarring
- A shorter recovery than with traditional surgery
- Lower risks than surgery
Our high-tech tools allow us to pinpoint exactly where to treat your prostate with accuracy and little discomfort. Over time after PAE, the prostate gets smaller, making it easier for you to urinate.
PAE is safe and effective. It's proven to give a quicker result and faster return to normal activities. Talk to your provider about our 5- and 10-year results.
What Happens During a PAE Prostate Procedure?
During a PAE, you won’t be fully asleep. We'll make sure you're relaxed and comfortable with medicine to block any pain.
We put a small tube, called a catheter, into a blood vessel and reach your prostate. Then we send tiny particles through the catheter. This blocks blood flow to part of your prostate and shrinks it. After PAE, you should have:
- Improved flow of urine
- Less need to urinate
- Less need to get up to urinate at night
- Blood in urine stops
- May no longer need a catheter to urinate if you had one
After Your PAE
It takes some time to see improvement after your procedure. But you can walk around, shower, and do some other normal activities by the next day.
You likely won't need more than over-the-counter pain medicines after your PAE. We'll follow up with you within 2 weeks of your PAE to check on you. You should start feeling changes within about 2 week to 1 month.
Your Prostate Embolization Care Team
We don't just treat your enlarged prostate. We find the best treatment for your specific condition.
Along with expert interventional radiologists, your care team includes experienced nurses, urologists, and more. We’ve been doing PAE procedures since they were first being researched. That means we’ve treated a huge number of patients. And, we’re always seeing new patients.
You'll have access to the latest advancements in PAE and a team dedicated to your comfort and recovery.