PAE for Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy: What to Expect After Your Procedure

If you have benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), more commonly known as an enlarged prostate, and feel like you’re alone, you should know that 50% of all men in America also struggle with an enlarged prostate by the time they reach the age of 60. 

This condition affects the small gland that produces seminal fluid. It’s located under your bladder and around the urethra. Common symptoms of BPH include: 

• Strong and sudden urge to urinate
• Frequent nighttime urination
• Inability to urinate and fully empty your bladder
• Increased risk of urinary tract infections
• Pain and straining when you try to pee
• Weak or slow urine stream
• Delayed start to urination
• Dribbling after urination and incontinence

After monitoring your symptoms and talking to your provider, it may be time to decide on a treatment to help get your life back to normal. 

Board-certified radiologists Dr. Andrew Doe and Dr. Sandra Newberry at Alate Health in Houston, Texas, can remove the pain and discomfort of this condition and help get you back to enjoying everything you do. 

Our practice offers one of the safest treatments for an enlarged prostate: prostate artery embolization (PAE). Here’s what you need to know:

Understanding PAE

This treatment is performed as an outpatient procedure and uses X-ray technology to treat an enlarged prostate. Your Alate Health provider makes a small incision to your wrist or groin during your procedure. They then insert a small catheter with a balloon at its end.  

Your provider releases microscopic plastic beads, known as microspheres, into the artery, where they travel to the vein that nourishes and blood your prostate. These restrict the supply of blood to the gland. 

Your provider uses imaging technology to ensure the beads are in the correct place, then repeats this procedure on the other side, making the entire process take around 2-3 hours. 

What to expect after PAE

You don’t need general anesthesia, so you can go home right after your PAE is complete. You will be discharged within a few hours of the procedure, and your provider makes sure you can urinate before discharging you from the clinic. 

One of the best things about PAE is the fast recovery, usually in about 1-2 days. You can resume most of your regular activities the following day, and there’s minimal pain as your body heals. 

The other good thing about PAE? It's extremely high success rate. Over 90% of men reported that in the first year after treatment, they see significant improvement in their condition. 

PAE also has a strong long-term success rate, with most patients still having success after three or more years after treatment! Some of the many benefits of life after PAE include: 

• A much better quality of life 
• Enhanced sexual function
• Say goodbye to catheters 
• Improved urinary symptoms
• Minimal pain and quick recovery 

Plus, if your BPH continues to cause you trouble down the line, you can still have additional BPH treatments as needed. 

To learn more about prostate artery embolization and whether it's the proper treatment, contact Alate Health in Houston at 713-893-0650 or request an appointment online today.