Prostate artery embolization (PAE) helps alleviate symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia
Patients who have an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), may suffer from symptoms such as feeling an urgent and/or frequent need to urinate, producing a weak urine stream that may stop and start, urinary incontinence, and other issues that affect their quality of life and may affect their urinary health. When symptoms become moderate or severe and other medical treatment doesn’t provide relief, our Houston urologists may recommend prostate artery embolization, or PAE.
What is PAE for benign prostatic hyperplasia?
PAE is a minimally invasive surgery that interventional radiologists perform. The procedure reduces blood supply to the prostate and shrinks the prostate gland. This helps alleviate symptoms caused by BPH.
Prostate artery embolization offers advantages over some other surgical procedures.
- It is usually an outpatient procedure.
- PAE has a shorter recovery time than other surgeries.
- This procedure has a lower risk of side effects, such as issues with sex drive or urinary incontinence.
PAE is not recommended for every patient, but our Houston urologists can determine whether a referral to an interventional radiologist is appropriate. The IR makes the decision about whether PAE will benefit the patient.
A few things to know about prostate artery embolization
Interventional radiologists perform the procedure through a very tiny incision in the groin. They place a very small catheter into the arteries that bring blood to the prostate gland and inject a special solution containing tiny plastic beads that stop the blood flow. The entire procedure takes about two hours, and almost all patients go home the same day. After a few days’ rest at home, most patients are able to return to their daily work and home life.
Our Houston urologists partner with interventional radiologists who perform PAE
Our physicians partner with two different interventional radiologists who perform prostate artery embolization to help patients who are dealing with benign prostatic hyperplasia. They evaluate patients’ symptoms and health and decide whether the surgery is the right procedure. Here are the interventional radiologists with whom we partner.
Andrew Doe MD
Board certified and fellowship-trained in IR, Dr. Doe completed medical school and residency at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, and Albany Medical Center in Albany, NY. His specialty is vascular and interventional radiology.
Location – Museum District & E. Houston
Poyan Rafiei MD
Double board certified in interventional radiology and diagnostic radiology, Dr. Rafiei completed his undergraduate and medical education at Texas Tech University. He did his residency at the University of Mississippi and completed his fellowship training at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University in St. Louis.
Location – Katy
Contact us for an appointment with our physicians to learn more about prostate artery embolization. After a physical examination and evaluation, we refer patients to IR if we feel that is a possible next step.
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