Important: This page is general education, not personal medical advice.
What is PAE?
Prostatic artery embolization (PAE) is a minimally invasive procedure performed by an interventional radiologist. Through a small artery access point (usually in the wrist or groin), tiny particles are delivered to reduce blood flow to the prostate, which can shrink prostate tissue and improve urinary symptoms from BPH.
Who may be a candidate?
- Bothersome urinary symptoms from BPH
- Patients wanting a non-surgical option
- Patients with medical conditions that increase surgical/anesthesia risk
- Case-specific anatomy suitable for embolization (requires imaging and IR/urology assessment)
Potential benefits
- No transurethral surgery
- Usually outpatient with small puncture-site access
- Symptom improvement in many patients over weeks to months
- Can be considered in select complex patients
Risks and trade-offs
- Temporary pelvic discomfort, urgency/frequency, burning with urination
- Groin/wrist access site bruising
- Variable symptom response compared with tissue-removing surgery
- Rare nontarget embolization complications (case-specific risk discussion is essential)
- Some patients may need additional treatment over time
Typical recovery timeline
- Day 0–3: mild pelvic or urinary irritation can occur
- Week 1–2: symptoms often stabilize
- Weeks 4–12: urinary improvement typically becomes more noticeable
Procedure video (real procedural footage)
Real interventional procedure content. Viewer discretion advised.
Source video: YouTube – live PAE procedure demonstration.
Questions to ask your urologist/interventional radiologist
- Am I a strong candidate for PAE based on my prostate anatomy and symptoms?
- How does expected symptom relief compare with my other options?
- What side effects should I expect in the first week?
- What is the chance I’ll need another procedure later?