Embolisation of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH)

Symptoms | Treatments

What is

Symptoms

Causes and Risk Factors

Treatment

What is - Embolisation of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH)

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-malignant enlargement of the prostate gland and is a common cause of urinary bladder outlet obstruction resulting in lower urinary tract symptoms in men over 40 years of age. Two out of every ten men will eventually require a procedure to relieve symptoms of BPH.

Symptoms of Embolisation of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH)

Patients may experience decreased urinary stream, hesitancy, incomplete emptying, greater frequency, Nocturia and urgency. Despite being a benign condition, there can be marked implications on the individual’s quality of life.

Embolisation of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) - Causes and Risk Factors

There are no known risk factors. Testoterone seem to play a part. Men who had testicles removed when young do not develop BPH

Treatment for Embolisation of Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH)

There are many treatment modalities for BPH.

Medical treatment – this is considered first line and medications can be prescribed for your condition
Surgical- Trans Urethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) This is the current established surgical treatment
Prostate Embolisation – minimally invasive, non-surgical way of treating an enlarged prostate gland by blocking the arteries that feed the gland which makes it shrink. This can be done through the blood vessel in the groin or left wrist (access sites). After numbing the access site fine tube (catheter) is advanced from the access site to the artery supplying the prostate gland. This will be guided using the x-ray and x-ray dye. As the dye passes around your body, you may get a warm feeling or sensation of wetting yourself, which will pass away. Once the target site is reached the artery is blocked with tiny particles which are smaller than the size of the hair.