BPH is non-cancerous
and does not become cancer
Modern treatment is done same day, no hospital stay
Moderate to severe scores on the IPSS, or symptoms that have started shaping your sleep, your travel, or your work. Mild symptoms that don’t trouble you usually don’t need a procedure at all.
Failing or not tolerating medication is one of the most common reasons men come to us, and most insurers want that trial documented anyway.
No incision, no general anesthesia, and for most patients no catheter afterward. Men who’ve been putting off a recommended operation for years often find this is the option they were waiting for.
Several minimally invasive procedures work best on smaller glands. PAE has been used successfully on very large prostates, including in men told open surgery was their only remaining option.
Men on blood thinners, or with heart or lung conditions that make general anesthesia hazardous, are often still candidates for PAE. Bring your full medication list and we’ll go through it.
Come in for an evaluation. If PAE isn’t right for you, we’ll say so and point you to what is. We work alongside urologists across metro Atlanta and refer readily.
TURP causes retrograde ejaculation in the large majority of patients, meaning semen goes backward into the bladder. PAE does not carry that risk.
PAE has a lower risk of urinary incontinence than prostatectomy. No tissue is removed, so the muscles that control urination stay intact.
PAE has been used successfully on very large prostates, including men who were told their only option was open surgery.
Because there's no cutting or instruments through the urethra, PAE is an option for men who can't stop blood thinners or undergo general anesthesia.
Many men choose prostate artery embolization to get off BPH medications due to side effects like dizziness, fatigue, or sexual dysfunction.
| Treatment | Anesthesia | Catheter after | Recovery Time | Sexual side effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prostate artery embolization (PAE) WHAT WE DO | Light sedation | Usually none | A few days | Very low risk |
| UroLift (implants) | Local/light | Sometimes, briefly | A few days | Low (size limited) |
| TURP (surgical resection) | General/spinal | Yes, commonly several days | 2-4 weeks | Common (retrograde) |
| Open / laser prostatectomy | General | Yes, typically | 2–6 weeks | Higher risk |
| Medication | None | No | None | Possible (manages only) |
Our physicians are fellowship trained interventional radiologists. Navigating small arteries under live imaging is the core of the specialty, not a service added onto something else.
Not every man with an enlarged prostate should have PAE. We’ll tell you if your symptoms point somewhere else, if your anatomy makes you a poor candidate, or if a urologist should see you first.
Our team verifies your benefits and tells you what to expect to pay before anything gets scheduled. Medicare and most major plans cover PAE when it’s medically necessary.
3225 Cumberland Blvd. Southeast
Suite 520
Atlanta, GA 30339
1975 Lakeside Pkwy
Suite 300
Tucker, GA 30084
1035 Southcrest Dr.
Suite 220 + 250
Stockbridge, GA 30281
BPH is non-cancerous growth of the prostate gland. Because the prostate surrounds the top of the urethra, growth narrows the channel urine passes through and causes urinary symptoms. It is very common with age and it is unrelated to prostate cancer.
There’s no single cause. The main driver is hormonal. An enzyme in the prostate converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, which stimulates prostate cells to multiply, and that enzyme becomes more active with age. Chronic inflammation, genetics, obesity, and diabetes all appear to contribute.
No. They’re separate conditions that develop in different parts of the gland. BPH does not become cancer and does not raise your cancer risk. A man can have both, and because symptoms overlap, an evaluation should rule out cancer before anyone treats an enlarged prostate.
Not reliably. Some men with very large prostates have mild symptoms and some with modest enlargement have severe ones. Symptoms depend as much on how the bladder has responded over the years as on the size of the gland, which is why treatment decisions are based on symptoms rather than measurements alone.
The prostate begins its second growth phase around 25 and continues slowly from there. Symptoms typically surface in the fifties or sixties. Prostate enlargement is present in roughly half to sixty percent of men in their sixties and in eighty to ninety percent of men over seventy, though not all of them have symptoms worth treating.
Yes. Antihistamines, over the counter decongestants, some antidepressants, certain bladder and stomach medications, and diuretics can all worsen urinary symptoms without affecting prostate size. If symptoms changed after a new prescription, tell us. Don’t stop anything without speaking to whoever prescribed it.
No. BPH is progressive for most men, though the pace varies widely and some go years without much change. Mild symptoms that don’t bother you can reasonably be monitored rather than treated.
Many men do, and for mild symptoms that’s a legitimate choice. The concerns with long untreated BPH are urinary retention, bladder damage from chronic straining, recurrent infections, bladder stones, and in uncommon cases kidney problems. Those outcomes are the exception, not the rule, but they’re the reason to keep an eye on it rather than ignore it entirely.
It depends what you need. Urologists diagnose and treat the full range of prostate conditions and perform procedures like TURP and Rezum. Interventional radiologists perform PAE. Many men see both. If a urologist should evaluate you first, we’ll tell you.
Medicare and most major plans cover treatment when it’s medically necessary, which generally means documented symptoms, appropriate imaging, and usually a trial of medication first. Requirements vary. Our team verifies your benefits and tells you your expected cost before you schedule.
Scheduling
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