The prostate gland sits underneath the bladder and surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen out of your penis. Normally, it’s the size and shape of a walnut, but as men age it can sometimes get too big and start to squeeze the urethra. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
The prostate gland sits underneath the bladder and surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine and semen out of your penis. Normally, it’s the size and shape of a walnut, but as men age it can sometimes get too big and start to squeeze the urethra. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Over 30 percent of men aged 50 and over require treatment for an enlarged prostate and for some of them that means surgery. It can disturb sleep with frequent urination overnight, or cause a hard time urinating or a weak stream when you do start.
BPH is a common condition with several treatment options, ranging from lifestyle changes to medication to surgery. Your health care practitioner can help you determine the best option for you based on your age, health, and current symptoms.
In cases of surgery, the most performed procedure is a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Very large prostates are not effectively treated with TURP, so an open surgery is usually performed to completely or partially remove the enlarged prostate. These are not the only options, however. Mayfair Interventional Radiologists have been successfully performing prostate artery embolization (PAE) procedures as an alternative to surgery in Calgary hospitals since 2015.
First performed in 2009 by Professor Pisco in Portugal, this new procedure shrinks an enlarged prostate blocking the arteries that feed the gland using microscopic beads. An interventional radiologist, rather than a surgeon, performs the procedure through a small incision in the groin or wrist.
The interventional radiologist will use X-ray guidance to move a small plastic tube into the small arteries which are feeding the prostate. X-ray dye is injected down the catheter to identify the prostate blood supply. Then microscopic gelatin beads are injected into these small arteries to block them and starve the prostate of its blood supply.
PAE is done using a local anesthetic in the groin and intravenous painkillers and/or sedatives, if needed. A catheter is inserted into the bladder for a few hours during the procedure and removed before you go home.
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Evaluation and minimally invasive treatment of varicoceles by sealing affected veins to improve blood flow, relieve discomfort, and support male fertility through a specialized, image-guided approach.
Mayfair’s interventional radiologists perform general IR procedures at Rockyview General Hospital and interventional vascular procedures at the Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary.
