This article was medically authored by Dr. Sachin Sheth and last reviewed for accuracy on 09/16/2026
Our interventional radiologists at Georgia Endovascular regularly perform procedures involving therapeutic arterial embolization. But what is arterial embolization? This procedure shuts off blood flow to certain parts of your body to promote therapeutic effects. To start, doctors inject embolic material, via catheter, to arteries or veins, preventing blood movement without harming your health. The procedure is minimally invasive, and performed using tiny punctures for arterial access instead of major incisions.
While this treatment has been around since the 1970s, today, the treatment has been refined and perfected. Now, it's an FDA-approved therapeutic treatment for a variety of conditions, including the side effects of an enlarged prostate caused by Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). In this post, we provide a detailed explanation of arterial embolization procedures before explaining how they can relieve BPH symptoms without the need for surgery or the risk of sexual side effects.
Key Takeaways
As a minimally invasive procedure, you can undergo arterial embolization (AE) without general anesthesia. Plus, most patients are able to avoid an overnight hospital, and enjoy a post-procedure recovery period that's far easier than recovering from any kind of surgery, regardless of the condition being treated via embolization.
As we mentioned, interventional radiologists have spent years perfecting arterial embolization treatments. In the process, we've discovered many new treatment avenues, including AE for frozen shoulder or tennis elbow, and arterial embolization for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, a condition that's also referred to as an enlarged prostate.) When we use AE to treat the prostate enlargement, we reference Prostate Arterial Embolization, or PAE.
Both PAE and surgery can relieve the unwanted effects of prostate enlargement. However, surgery necessitates the use of general anesthesia, an overnight hospital stay, and an extended recovery period. Surgical BPH treatment also comes with a serious risk for sexual side effects, along with the potential for additional complications. Additionally, many patients are not able to gain surgical clearance, especially older adults who are more likely to develop prostate enlargement. As such, a non-surgical treatment option may be their only hope for relief from symptoms of BPH.
Luckily, we perform arterial embolization for enlarged prostate treatment as an outpatient procedure. This eliminates the need for general anesthesia and major incisions, two of the reasons that often make patients ineligible for surgery. Additionally, PAE costs are lower compared to surgery, the recovery period following treatment is minimal, and we can almost eliminate the risk of sexual side effects.
Our experts are so excited about the FDA's decision to approve AE as a less invasive treatment option for BPH and the resulting LUTS (lower urinary tract symptoms). This approval allows us to help a wide range of patients avoid surgery or medications while finding effective BPH relief. It also means that many patients can now pay for PAE with insurance, helping make this treatment option more accessible.
Ready to find enlarged prostate relief without surgery? Are you wondering if you’re a PAE candidate? We’re here to help answer those questions, so we invite you to schedule a consultation with our interventional radiologists in Georgia. Together, we can determine if you are a candidate for this less invasive BPH treatment option.
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