Enlarged Prostate | Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Men, do you struggle to urinate?
FDA approved, non-surgical treatment is now available for enlarged prostate / Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH) with no risk of incontinence or impotence.
What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia,(BPH)?
BPH is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland and is very common in men. By age 50, 50% of men will develop BPH, and risk increases with increasing age. As early as in the 40s, the prostate begins to grow, pinching the urethra and making it harder to urinate.
What are the risk factors for developing BPH?
- Age Greater then 40
- Family History
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- Obesity
What are the symptoms of BPH?
The symptoms of BPH are referred to as LUTS (Lower Urinary Track Symptoms) They include:
- Frequent or urgent need to urinate
- Increased frequency of urination at night
- Difficulty starting urination
- Weak urine stream or a stream that stops and starts
- Dribbling at the end of urination
- Inability to completely empty the bladder
What are the treatment options for BPH?
Medication: drugs such as alpha blockers relax muscles in your prostate to make urination easier and prevent hormonal changes that cause prostate growth.
Various minimally invasive procedures such as:
- Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)
- Laser therapy
- Prostatic urethral lift (PUL)
- Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE) performed by Interventional Radiologist
What is Prostate Artery Embolization, (PAE)?
Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE) is a nonsurgical treatment option for patients suffering from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) or Enlarged Prostate. Prostate Artery Embolization is performed by Interventional Radiologist by accessing the blood supply to the prostate through a tiny needle in the hip area or the wrist. A small catheter (Tube) Is placed in the artery supplying the enlarged prostate and tiny beads are injected to reduce the blood flow to the enlarged prostate which in turn shrinks the prostate gland. The shrinking of the Prostate gland allows for better passage of urine and reducing symptoms of LUTS. There are no instruments placed thru the penis for this procedure.
What are the benefits of PAE?
Prostate Artery Embolization is a painless, outpatient, office based procedure, performed with simple sedation thru a IV line like colonoscopy called conscious sedation. The procedure has the lowest complications rate for BPH and without the risk of sexual dysfunction / impotence, Incontinence/urine leak and does not require placement of a bladder catheter. Typically, the procedure takes 45 minutes to an hour and patients go home in 1 to 2 hours after the procedure back to the comfort of their home without the overnight hospital stay for traditional surgery.
What should I do if I was diagnosed with BPH?
If you have been diagnosed with BPH, and it has a negative impact on your everyday life, you are a candidate for prostatic artery embolization. Schedule an exam with AVA Vascular to see if you are a candidate for a prostate artery embolization.
