PAE and Your Sex Life: What Men Actually Want to Know

It’s the question a lot of men want answered before anything else — and the one they’re often too uncomfortable to ask out loud in a doctor’s office: “Will this treatment affect my sex life?”

When it comes to treating an enlarged prostate (BPH), that concern is completely valid. Many traditional BPH treatments, including several surgical options, carry a real risk of sexual side effects like retrograde ejaculation or erectile difficulty. So if you’re researching Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE) as an option, it makes sense that this is top of mind. Here’s what men should actually know.

Why Sexual Side Effects Are Such a Common Concern With BPH Treatment

Many standard BPH treatments — including TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate) and other surgical approaches — work by removing or reshaping prostate tissue near structures involved in sexual function. That proximity is part of why sexual side effects, particularly retrograde ejaculation, are reported at meaningfully higher rates with those procedures.

How PAE Is Different

PAE takes an entirely different approach. Instead of cutting or removing prostate tissue, Dr. Van Meter guides a catheter through a small access point in the wrist or groin, directly into the tiny arteries feeding the prostate. By reducing blood flow to specific areas of the enlarged prostate, the gland gradually shrinks over the following weeks and months — addressing BPH symptoms without ever touching the urethra or surrounding structures the way surgical options do.

Because PAE doesn’t involve removing tissue near the ejaculatory ducts or nerves responsible for erectile function, research on PAE has generally shown a lower rate of sexual side effects compared to surgical alternatives like TURP.

What Men Report

Every patient’s experience is individual, and it’s important to have a direct conversation with your doctor about your specific case, prostate size, and health history. That said, one of the most consistent reasons men pursue PAE in the first place is the desire for an effective BPH treatment that doesn’t come with the same trade-offs to sexual function that surgical options can carry.

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It’s Okay to Ask About This

If you’ve avoided bringing up BPH treatment because you’re worried about the impact on your sex life, you’re not alone — and it’s exactly the kind of question a good urologic or interventional radiology consultation should make space for. A knowledgeable provider won’t brush past this concern; they should walk you through it honestly, using your specific anatomy and symptoms, not generic statistics alone.

What a PAE Consultation Actually Covers

At MTVIR, that conversation starts with an honest assessment: your prostate size, your symptoms, your imaging, and yes — your questions about what treatment means for your sex life and overall quality of life. PAE isn’t the right fit for every man, which is exactly why that conversation matters before deciding on a treatment path.

The Bigger Picture

BPH treatment shouldn’t force you to choose between managing frustrating urinary symptoms and preserving your sex life. For many men, PAE offers a way to address both — a minimally invasive option designed around avoiding that trade-off in the first place.

If this is a conversation you’ve been putting off, Dr. Travis Van Meter and the team at MTVIR in Dallas are ready to have it with you, directly and without judgment. Schedule a consultation to find out if PAE is right for you.

Looking for a prostate clinic in Dallas?

Look no further. We have a state-of-the-art center in North Dallas, where we can perform not only consultations but also surgeries.

Find us at:

9101 N Central Expy, Suite 550, Dallas, TX 75225
Call (469) 458-9800
Or contact us here to schedule a consultation.