Urological Conditions – Prostate Embolization

urinary incontinence

Treatment for:

  • Urological Conditions

Procedures offered:

  • Prostate artery embolization (PAE)
  • Ureteral stenting
  • Pudendal artery angioplasty and stenting

Urinary incontinence caused by benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH)

In men, urinary incontinence can be caused by Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)—a condition where the prostate becomes enlarged but the enlargement is not caused by cancer. A new treatment option is available as an alternative to surgery, and with fewer complications than transurethral resection of the prostate: Prostate artery embolization (PAE). which is a less invasive and highly effective treatment for BPH. 

What happens as the prostate gland enlarges?

The prostate is a gland that is normally the size of a walnut. With BPH, it can grow as large as a tennis ball. The enlarged prostate can put pressure on the urethra, which carries urine out of the body. This can restrict the flow of urine or, in extreme cases, cut it off completely.

Treatment Options

Men with mild BPH symptoms can be effectively treated with lifestyle changes, supplements and/or medication. Your doctor may also ask you to avoid taking certainmedications like decongestants or certain antihistamines that can affect your prostate. A new procedure cleared by the FDA in 2018, known as prostate artery embolization (PAE), is a less invasive treatment option for men with severe BPH symptoms. This convenient outpatient procedure may alleviate BPH symptoms for most men.

The PAE procedure

PAE is performed by an interventional radiologist who, using imaging guidance, inserts a tiny catheter into an artery in the patient’s upper thigh or wrist, and then guides it through the body’s blood vessels to the arteries supplying blood to the prostate. Tiny beads called ‘microspheres’ are released through the catheter and into the arteries, blocking blood flow to the prostate. With reduced blood flow, the prostate shrinks and symptoms are relieved.

PAE is an outpatient procedure that requires no anesthesia. It has a high success rate (75-95%), a fast recovery, minimal complications and a low risk of sexual side effects.

PAE may also be performed in men who are not candidates for traditional treatment methods, such as when BPH is smaller than 50 cc or larger than 80 cc.

If you or a male you know is suffering from urinary incontinence, schedule a visit with your doctor or call Lakeland Vascular Institute for a consultation. PAE is a new and less invasive option to treat BPH. For more information please call (863) 577-0316.

Urinary Obstruction

The ureters are long, narrow tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Sometimes, ureters can become obstructed due to kidney stones, blood clots or kidney stones. A ureteral stent is a thin, flexible tube threaded into the ureter by an interventional radiologist. During this procedure at Lakeland Vascular Institute, a tube is placed through the skin on the patient’s back into the kidney to open the ureter and restore the flow of urine into the bladder. This is known as ureteral stenting.

To learn more about the Urological Condition treatments at Lakeland Vascular Institute, please call us to schedule a consultation at (863) 577-0316. We service patients all throughout Central Florida including Brandon, Plant City, Lakeland, Winter Haven and Kissimmee, Florida.