Narration
Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, is estimated to occur in 50% of men over the age of 50 and 80% of men over the age of 80. The prostate is located below the bladder and surrounds the urethra, which carries urine out of the bladder. When the prostate is enlarged it may constrict the urethra causing difficulty with urination and other lower urinary tracts symptoms. Transcatheter embolization is a new, investigative, minimally invasive procedure to decrease the size of the prostate and help alleviate constriction of the urethra. During the procedure, a physician known as an Interventional Radiologist inserts a catheter into the femoral artery at the groin. The catheter is advanced through the blood vessels until reaching the arteries that supply the prostate. Small beads are then released into the prostate blood vessels that block the blood supply to the enlarged prostate. The procedure is done on both sides. Over time the prostate will shrink. As the prostate decreases in size the pressure on the urethra decreases and urination becomes easier.
