Answering your questions about the prostate artery embolization procedure

You’ve heard people say, “There’s no such thing as a stupid question.” At North Austin Urology, we also believe there’s no such thing as an embarrassing one. Our Austin urology practice is here to answer all your queries about issues in the bedroom and the bathroom. To prove we mean what we say, we’re here with listener questions from Dr. Mistry’s podcast. These queries focus on the prostate artery embolization procedure.

What is prostate artery embolization?

Most people don’t think about their prostate until it becomes a growing problem. For those who don’t know, the prostate is a gland at the neck of the bladder. A healthy prostate should be about the size of a walnut. However, this gland can grow as men age, and more growth equals more problems in the bathroom.

The good news is men don’t have to live with a prostate that’s the size of a tennis ball. The prostate artery embolization procedure is a new and often underutilized option to treat an enlarged prostate.

The treatment requires a visit to an interventional radiologist. This specialist will feed a catheter into the artery that feeds the prostate. Wondering how they reach this artery? Through a small incision. There’s no need to worry, though, because the patient receives sedation for this procedure.

Once the catheter is in place, the doctor will inject tiny beads to cut off the blood flow. Over time, the prostate shrinks. This can happen in just a few days.

Are there alternatives to this procedure?

You might be surprised to learn that there’s more than one way to shrink a prostate. At our Austin urology practice, our own Dr. Mistry has some minimally invasive techniques up the sleeves of his white coat.

One option is a laparoscopic robotic simple prostatectomy. You’re not alone if you have no idea what this treatment is. Most people are in the same position, so let’s break it down.

• Laparoscopic refers to a type of minimally invasive surgery that only involves tiny incisions. In this case, Dr. Mistry makes these incisions in the abdomen.
• Robotic doesn’t mean that a robot performs the surgery. Instead, it means that Dr. Mistry uses robotic tools during the procedure.
• Simple prostatectomy is a procedure that removes the inside of the enlarged prostate.

Although it might sound familiar, this is not the same as the surgery for prostate cancer. As a result, it does not come with side effects like incontinence and impotence.

We find that this effective procedure has benefited many patients at our Austin urology practice. That being said, we do realize that some patients want something less invasive to relieve their symptoms. Patients who feel this way may be good candidates for prostate artery embolization.

Who are candidates for the prostate artery embolization procedure?

You’re not alone if you’re thinking, “The less invasive, the better.” Not all patients are good candidates for the embolization procedure, though. Patients may be better candidates for a simple prostatectomy if they have the following issues.

• Urinary retention (inability to completely empty the bladder)
• Recurrent urinary tract infections
• Larger median lobes (the “tongue” of the prostate going into the bladder)

However, if you’re a good candidate for the embolization procedure, our team can refer you to amazing embolists in the area. Our practice partners with Dr. Preston Smith at Summit IR to help our patients feel better.

If you’re interested in learning more about the prostate artery embolization procedure, you can sign up for one of our monthly webinars on this topic. You can also contact us to learn about the options to treat an enlarged prostate.