About the Treatment and Evaluation procedures

The prostate is an organ of the male reproductive system. Its primary purpose is to produce the seminal fluid that helps to preserve sperm after ejaculation. Located under the bladder, the prostate is normally about the size of a walnut, and surrounds the urethra. In older men, the prostate can become enlarged, which exerts pressure on the urethra and hinders the proper flow of urine and semen through the urethra to the penis.

BPH affects over 50-60% of men in their sixties, 70-80% of men in their seventies, and 90% of men age 80 or older.

Although the increased prostate tissue growth is benign (non-cancerous), it can cause obstruction of the lower urinary tract and a number of symptoms:

Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

• Increased frequency of urination, especially at night
• Difficulty controlling urination; sudden, urgent need to urinate
• Weak and/or interrupted urination; difficulty starting urination
• In serious cases, inability to urinate at all, requiring catheterization
• Blood in the urine
• Erectile dysfunction

Naturally, these symptoms can negatively impact one’s quality of life, so many men with BPH seek treatment. Moderate to severe cases of BPH have traditionally been treated with invasive surgeries such as TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate), Prostatectomy, Laser, Thermotherapy, or Electrovaporization. These procedures require general anesthesia and can result in complications such as incontinence, sexual dysfunction, impotence, and retrograde ejaculation (in which semen “backs up” into the bladder).

PAE provides a safer, non-surgical alternative to treating BPH.