Posted on 03/03/2023 9:58:42 PM PST by ConservativeMind
Prostate artery embolization (PAE) provides long-term effectiveness in treating urinary symptoms from an enlarged prostate gland, according to new research.
In the largest long-term North American study, 1,000 patients who underwent PAE reported significant sustained relief, up to six years, from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) or urinary retention due to benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).
Said Shivank Bhatia, M.D.: "Many avoid all treatments because of the widely known risks of surgery. PAE avoids these risks while achieving long-term positive clinical outcomes."
With PAE, interventional radiologists inject tiny particles into arteries that feed the prostate gland, reducing its blood supply, thereby shrinking it.
Participants reported dramatic improvements on the 35-point International Prostate Symptom Score, which ranks symptoms as mild, moderate or severe. Pre-procedure, patients reported a mean score of 23, in the "severe" range. But in less than three months, they achieved a score of 6, with "mild" symptoms persisting throughout the six-year study—a response similar to that following more invasive surgical options for BPH. However, PAE did not negatively impact sexual function and no incidence of leakage was reported after PAE.
PAE has a well-established safety profile, as shown in repeated studies in the 10 years since it was first used. However, interventional radiologists say most men are unaware of this treatment option.
Among the study's findings was a persistent, years-long reduction in prostate size. However, Bhatia noted that prostate size reduction is not the only goal in long-term effectiveness. "Treatment should make the prostate softer as well as smaller—as opposed to smaller but remaining hard, which will still cause urinary symptoms."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
"Embolization refers to the passage and lodging of an embolus within the bloodstream. It may be of natural origin (pathological), in which sense it is also called embolism, for example a pulmonary embolism; or it may be artificially induced (therapeutic), as a hemostatic treatment for bleeding or as a treatment for some types of cancer by deliberately blocking blood vessels to starve the tumor cells."
It would be nice to go to bed and only get up to pee once, maybe twice a night...or even not at all. Sigh.
I would encourage looking into the following, for BPH:
Nettle root extract
Pygeum extract
Beta-sitosterol
Boron
Lycopene
Rye extract (flower pollen)
Cranberry extract
Mangosteen pericarp
Other remedies with studies include saw palmetto, but some studies have shown that to not be as useful as previously thought.
Please make sure your PSA score is in a reasonable range, too. It may be more than just BPH.
However, procedures or supplements to help with BPH also reduce the likelihood of prostate cancer, from what I’ve gathered, and it shows in reduced PSA scores, thankfully.
I looked into doing this procedure a couple years ago. I decided not to do it as it seemed the risks outweighed the benefits.
Instead I went with a procedure called an aqua ablation. It was minimally invasive and left me fully functional.
“ I looked into doing this procedure a couple years ago. I decided not to do it as it seemed the risks outweighed the benefits.
Instead I went with a procedure called an aqua ablation. It was minimally invasive and left me fully functional.”
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I also looked into PAE before (and wanted it) but my private insurance would NOT authorize it. I’m now scheduled for the Aquablation procedure, which insurance DOES cover, later this spring. It’s a mystery to me how they decide to cover some procedures but not others. For example I know that Medicare covers both PAE and Aquablation.
BTTT
Thank you for the info. I’ll look into that. I’m currently taking FloMax, which helps. Yes, the urologist was roped into my situation a couple of years back. Heck, I’ve even seen the INSIDE of my bladder while he was scrounging around inside of me with that little camera on the end of a long wire thingee. Ouch...unpleasant memories.
The article you posted sounds promising. I’m including a link to the article in my calendar for my next urologist visit. Thank you!
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