Prostate artery embolization (PAE) is an advanced minimally invasive medical procedure offering an effective solution for men suffering from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). This common condition causes the prostate to press on the urethra, the tube that carries urine, leading to bothersome symptoms such as difficulty urinating, weak stream, urinary frequency and urgency, and multiple nighttime awakenings to urinate. The goal of the procedure is to controlledly reduce the volume of the prostate by decreasing its blood supply, thereby relieving pressure on the urinary tract and significantly improving the patient's quality of life, without the need for traditional surgery involving tissue resection or vaporization.

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The process is performed in a catheterization room by an expert interventional radiologist. The patient is under local anesthesia and mild sedation, so they are conscious but feel no pain. The physician inserts a catheter (a thin, flexible tube) through a tiny puncture in the groin artery or wrist. Using advanced X-ray fluoroscopy imaging systems, the physician navigates the catheter through the vascular system in the pelvis until precisely reaching the small arteries feeding the prostate gland. At this point, special microscopic particles are injected through the catheter, blocking blood flow in these arteries. Blocking the blood and oxygen supply causes the enlarged prostate tissue to gradually shrink over the weeks and months following the treatment, leading to symptom relief. The treatment is suitable for men with moderate to severe symptoms of enlarged prostate who do not wish to undergo surgery or are unsuitable for it, and desire to preserve sexual function.