What's the Success Rate for PAE?

If you're considering Prostatic Artery Embolization for an enlarged prostate, you may wonder, "What's the success rate for PAE?" And who is a good candidate for this treatment option?

Well, at our Texas Prostate Institute, we use (PAE) to treat men who suffer from Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) linked to prostate enlargement. And we use this method because it offers a minimally invasive, FDA-approved pathway to lasting relief. Let's explore why and how it works!

Why does the prostate become enlarged?

The prostate gland sits at the narrow neck of the bladder, and it surrounds the urethra. As part of your reproductive system, the prostate produces seminal fluid. But, for some reason, the prostate's size increases with age, resulting in benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), the medical term for an enlarged prostate.

As this happens, the enlarged gland presses on the urethra and bladder. As a result, you may:

• Lose the ability to urinate or to fully empty your bladder
• Experience weak urinary flow, or dribbling as your peeing comes to an end
• Become incontinent
• Suddenly need to pee, without any warning
• Wake up twice or more each night because you have to urinate
• Need to strain or experience pain with urination
• Face a delay when trying to release urine
• Contract frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs), experience kidney and bladder damage, and form bladder stones.

PAE (prostate artery embolization) and BPH

The FDA approves PAE as a way to treat BPH. This is an outpatient procedure that relieves BPH symptoms by blocking the flow of flow to the prostatic arteries. And, because we perform this procedure with an x-ray-guided catheter, we're able to deposit embolic material that blocks those arteries without open surgery. That way, your prostate shrinks, your symptoms improve, and your recovery period is much more manageable.

What's the success rate for PAE?

This procedure is highly effective. In fact, within one year of receiving prostatic artery embolization, more than 90% of men are still experiencing BPH relief. And they're getting that relief without risking sexual side effects. Even better? PAE appears to deliver lasting relief. Because, though the procedure is too new for us to have extensive long-term data, recent studies suggest that 82% of men were still experiencing relief three years after having a PAE procedure.

Prostatic Artery Embolization: who is a candidate?

This procedure isn't for everyone. But you may be a PAE candidate if medications and lifestyle changes aren't relieving your symptoms; if you aren't eligible for surgery, or if your prostate gland is too enlarged for common surgical procedures. Plus, PAE can be a great treatment if you've already has an unsuccessful surgery for BPH.

Ready to discover the success rate for PAE? Learn more by clicking here to request an appointment.