Prostate artery embolisation
Shrinking an enlarged prostate
A minimally-invasive, non-surgical procedure to treat an enlarged prostate by shrinking it
About an enlarged prostate
Prostate artery embolisation (PAE) is a minimally-invasive, non-surgical procedure designed to treat an enlarged prostate by blocking off the arteries that feed it. By doing so, it shrinks the prostate.
In all published PAE trails to date, a symptomatic improvement is seen in just over 80 per cent of men at 3 to 12 months, and these improvements are sustained at medium- and long-term follow-up appointments, where there is a cumulative success rate of 78 per cent.
NICE approved PAE for routine use in April 2018 and our team of consultants have performed more than 300 PAE cases in the UK with excellent results.
Need to know
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What happens during treatment? icon plus
A highly trained interventional radiologist, who is experienced in advanced embolisation techniques, performs the procedure. They'll typically make a single puncture in the groin or, occasionally, the wrist or arm. This is done under local anaesthetic. They will then insert thin, hollow tubes, known as catheters, into both the right and left prostate arteries under direct X-Ray guidance. These prostatic arteries are then closed using 250-400 micron-sized embolic particles.
Prostate artery embolisation takes approximately two hours to perform and you can expect to be discharged after four hours provided you are fit and able to leave. Men needing to travel out of the area or those who are less fit may require an overnight stay in hospital. Men who plan to fly home may do so after four to five days (short-haul) or seven to ten days (long haul).
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How to prepare icon plus
Your consultant will explain prostate artery embolisation and answer any questions you might have. Like all procedures, there may be some risks and side effects involved. There is a slight risk of injury to the bladder, rectum and genitals because of their close proximity to the prostate. Your consultant will explain these to you. -
Afterwards icon plus
Post-procedural pain is usually mild to moderate and complications reported to date have been rare and mostly involve minor bruising of the groin. This discomfort can be managed by simple anti-inflammatory and pain killing oral medications. After having your prostate artery embolisation, your urology consultant will let you know when you can get back to your usual routine. You'll most likely be called back for a post-op appointment to discuss the effectiveness of the embolisation.
Our interventional radiologists
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From complex surgery to straightforward procedures, we provide exceptional care across our network of hospitals, outpatient centres and specialist clinics.
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Our team can help with any enquiries or you can make an appointment with one of our experienced consultants.
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020 7079 4344