Prostate Artery Embolization for BPH

You Don’t Have to Live with Urinary Problems.

A Breakthrough Procedure.

As men age, they often begin to experience urinary issues that can cause embarrassment, loss of sleep, and more. Prostate artery embolization (PAE) is a new treatment option for men with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) – also known as an enlarged prostate gland – that often causes the urinary issues. More than 50% of men in their 60’s, and 90% of men age 70-89 have BPH symptoms.

As you can see from this illustration, the prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. A normal prostate is about the size of walnut, but as men age nearly all experience enlargement of the gland. As the prostate gets bigger, it may squeeze or partly block the urethra. This often causes problems associated with urinating.

A Superior Alternative in Most Cases to:

Prostatectomy
REZUM
Aquablation
Urolift
TURP

All of these procedures are substantially more invasive than PAE (which is done through a tiny puncture at the top of the leg) and most of these procedures also can have sexual side effects. In larger prostates only Prostatectomy is an option, which has a much higher rate of sexual side effects than PAE.

Symptoms

An enlarged prostate often constricts the flow of urine. Nerves within the prostate and bladder may also play a role in causing the following common symptoms:

Urinary frequency
Urinary urgency
Frequent nighttime urination
Difficulty initiating the urinary stream
Weak stream
Incomplete bladder emptying
The need strain or push to initiate and maintain urination
Dribbling

Treatment

During the PAE procedure, Dr. Gropper inserts a tiny catheter into either the radial artery at the wrist, or the femoral artery at the top of the leg and guides it to the prostate artery on both sides of the enlarged prostate gland. Once positioned next to the prostate, the catheter is used to deliver microscopic spheres to block blood flow, causing the prostate to shrink, and dramatically reducing symptoms.

The procedure is performed in-office under mild sedation, and the patient goes home a few hours later. Recovery is easy with symptoms improvement often noted within 2 weeks.

What is my International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS)?

The IPSS is a questionnaire you can use to help you understand the severity of your BPH symptoms.

Over the past month, how often have you had a sensation of not emptying your bladder completely after you finished urinating?

Not at all (0 points)
Less than 1 time in 5 (1 points)
Less than half the time (2 points)
About half the time (3 points)
More than half the time (4 points)
Almost always (5 points)

Over the past month, how often have you had to urinate again less than 2 hours after you finished urinating?

Not at all (0 points)
Less than 1 time in 5 (1 points)
Less than half the time (2 points)
About half the time (3 points)
More than half the time (4 points)
Almost always (5 points)

Over the past month, how often have you found you stopped and started again several times when you urinated?

Not at all (0 points)
Less than 1 time in 5 (1 points)
Less than half the time (2 points)
About half the time (3 points)
More than half the time (4 points)
Almost always (5 points)

Over the past month, how often have you found it difficult to postpone urination?

Not at all (0 points)
Less than 1 time in 5 (1 points)
Less than half the time (2 points)
About half the time (3 points)
More than half the time (4 points)
Almost always (5 points)

Over the past month, how often have you had a weak urinary stream?

Not at all (0 points)
Less than 1 time in 5 (1 points)
Less than half the time (2 points)
About half the time (3 points)
More than half the time (4 points)
Almost always (5 points)

Over the past month, how often have you had to push or strain to begin urination?

Not at all (0 points)
Less than 1 time in 5 (1 points)
Less than half the time (2 points)
About half the time (3 points)
More than half the time (4 points)
Almost always(5 points)

Over the past month, how many times did you most typically get up to urinate from the time you went to bed at night until the time you got up in the morning?

Not at all (0 points)
Less than 1 time in 5 (1 points)
Less than half the time (2 points)
About half the time (3 points)
More than half the time (4 points)
Almost always(5 points)

Total Criteria Point Count:

Print IPSS Score to Discuss with your Physician

IPSS Score
0-7 Points:	Mild Symptoms
8-19 Points:	Moderate Symptoms
20-35 Points:	Severe symptoms

Make An Appointment Online

For your convenience, we now make it even easier for you to schedule your visit to Vivid Vascular by booking your appointment online. Simply select a date and time that is convenient for you and provide us with the requested information. One of our friendly patient care coordinators will reach out to you via your preferred contact method to confirm your appointment.