Minimally Invasive Men's Health Procedures
The least-invasive techniques available to relieve your symptoms
Sometimes men have a special need for interventional radiology procedures to fix problems related to urinary or reproductive health. Interventional radiologists offer treatment options that use the least-invasive techniques available.
Minimally Invasive Men’s Health Procedures
When your reproductive or urinary health is on the line, you want to know all your options. And, whenever it’s practical, you want a minimally invasive procedure and fewer incisions so you can get back to normal as soon as possible. Interventional radiologists perform procedures including:
Prostate artery embolization (PAE)
An enlarged prostate blocks the flow of urine. To treat it, your doctor will make an incision in your upper leg and thread a catheter (hollow tube) to the area of your prostate gland. Then, your doctor will place tiny beads to block blood flow to your prostate. This causes your prostate to shrink and makes the passageway for urine larger. After the procedure, your annoying symptoms will be relieved.
Varicocele embolization
During this procedure, your doctor will make a small incision in your upper leg and thread a catheter to the area of the varicose vein in your scrotum or testicle. Then, your doctor will insert a tiny coil into the vein to block it. The blood is then routed to other healthy veins around it and the swelling and pressure you’ve felt are relieved.
How Interventional Procedures Work
If you are having an interventional procedure, your doctor will take images – X-rays, CT scanning, MRI or ultrasound. The images are used to guide special instruments into your arteries, veins and other parts of your body to deliver treatments.
What to Expect
Minimally Invasive Men’s Health Procedures
When your reproductive or urinary health is on the line, you want to know all your options. And, whenever it’s practical, you want a minimally invasive procedure and fewer incisions so you can get back to normal as soon as possible. Interventional radiologists perform procedures including:
Prostate artery embolization (PAE)
An enlarged prostate blocks the flow of urine. To treat it, your doctor will make an incision in your upper leg and thread a catheter (hollow tube) to the area of your prostate gland. Then, your doctor will place tiny beads to block blood flow to your prostate. This causes your prostate to shrink and makes the passageway for urine larger. After the procedure, your annoying symptoms will be relieved.
Varicocele embolization
During this procedure, your doctor will make a small incision in your upper leg and thread a catheter to the area of the varicose vein in your scrotum or testicle. Then, your doctor will insert a tiny coil into the vein to block it. The blood is then routed to other healthy veins around it and the swelling and pressure you’ve felt are relieved.
How Interventional Procedures Work
If you are having an interventional procedure, your doctor will take images – X-rays, CT scanning, MRI or ultrasound. The images are used to guide special instruments into your arteries, veins and other parts of your body to deliver treatments.
Write down questions you want to ask your provider about interventional radiology so you don’t forget them at your appointment. Your questions may include:
- Is varicocele embolization permanent, or can varicoceles grow back?
- Is PAE permanent, or will my prostate enlarge again?
- Will my pain be gone after embolization?
- Do embolization procedures hurt?
- Can I go home the same day after embolization?
- Do I need someone to drive me home after my procedure?
- Will I have sedation for my procedure? What kind?
- Can I go back to normal activities right after embolization?
- What are side effects from an embolization procedure?
- Have your other patients had success with these procedures?
- How many embolization procedures like mine have you performed?
Questions to Ask Your Provider
Write down questions you want to ask your provider about interventional radiology so you don’t forget them at your appointment. Your questions may include:
- Is varicocele embolization permanent, or can varicoceles grow back?
- Is PAE permanent, or will my prostate enlarge again?
- Will my pain be gone after embolization?
- Do embolization procedures hurt?
- Can I go home the same day after embolization?
- Do I need someone to drive me home after my procedure?
- Will I have sedation for my procedure? What kind?
- Can I go back to normal activities right after embolization?
- What are side effects from an embolization procedure?
- Have your other patients had success with these procedures?
- How many embolization procedures like mine have you performed?
