Prostate artery embolization (PAE)
Relieve symptoms of an enlarged prostate with prostate artery embolization (PAE) at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. This procedure treats benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common condition that causes:
Frequently asked questions about PAE
How does PAE work?
Embolization blocks the blood supply to your prostate, shrinking the gland by up to 40 percent over six months. Treatment is less invasive than prostatectomy or transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), both of which remove all or part of the gland. PAE’s less invasive approach means:
- No need to stay in the hospital overnight
- Less pain and a faster recovery
- Low risk of sexual side effects
- Low risk of urinary incontinence (loss of bladder control)
Is PAE right for me?
Your doctor may recommend prostate artery embolization if you:
- Have symptoms of BPH
- Don’t want traditional surgery, which involves a longer recovery
- Haven’t gotten enough relief from BPH medications, or you don’t like the medications’ side effects
What are the risks of prostate embolization?
No medical procedure is risk-free, but the benefits of PAE usually outweigh the risks. Ask your doctor how your care team will work to reduce the risks of:
- Allergic reaction to contrast dye used in the procedure
- Blood in urine
- Blockage of blood vessels outside the prostate
- More than 80 percent of patients experience improvement in BPH after treatment.
Preparing for your PAE procedure
After receiving your doctor’s referral, we’ll schedule a clinic visit to talk about treatment and answer your questions. An interventional radiologist will perform PAE. This doctor uses imaging guidance to treat enlarged prostates.
Don’t eat or drink anything the evening before BPH treatment.
Day of treatment
After you come to Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, you’ll:
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Change into a hospital gown
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Receive an intravenous (IV) line for fluids and medications
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Meet your interventional radiologist to discuss the procedure
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Go to the procedure suite, where your care team will attach sensors to monitor your vital signs and give you conscious sedation (medicine to relax you and prevent pain)
Your interventional radiologist will:
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Place a soft, flexible tube called a catheter in an artery in your wrist or upper thigh
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Move the catheter to your prostate arteries under X-ray guidance
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Inject medication to stop the blood flow to the prostate
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Remove the catheter and place a dressing over your incision
After treatment
You may experience post-PAE syndrome, which includes:
You’ll receive medications to ease these side effects. Call the number your care team gives you if you have questions or concerns.
Follow-up care
Expect a phone call to check on your health:
Look forward to symptom relief starting about a month after treatment. You’ll see us in the clinic at the one-month and three-month mark. Keep receiving routine urologic care for the best long-term outcome.
