Do I Need to Have My Enlarged Prostate Removed?

Most men will have an enlarged prostate at some point. In fact, if you live long enough, it’s a guarantee. This usually starts out relatively unproblematic, but issues can crop up as your prostate grows. You might wonder if you need to have your prostate removed.

Here at Vascular & Interventional Associates, our providers can help. As specialists in enlarged prostate care, serving men throughout northern Kentucky and in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area, we have extensive experience. We can analyze your prostate and help you determine the right treatment option.

Plus, we have several paths we can explore with you that don’t include removing your prostate. Here’s what you should know.

Early treatment options for an enlarged prostate

Your prostate continues to grow throughout your life. That usually doesn’t present a problem until later in life, when doctors diagnose the enlarged prostate as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common and noncancerous condition. 

Because your growing prostate can press against your urethra, BPH can cause:

• More urinary frequency and urgency 
• Trouble starting or maintaining your urine stream 
• Incomplete bladder emptying

In other words, if you’ve noticed changes in your urinary habits, especially if you’re over 50, your enlarged prostate could be to blame.

Far too many men ignore these signs or avoid treatment because they fear bad news. But if you come to see our team about your prostate early, we have a broad range of treatments we can explore with you. 

Many men see relief from their urinary symptoms with medication that relaxes their muscles and shrinks their prostate. And don’t worry. Even if medication doesn’t work for you, we have options that don’t require removing your prostate.

PAE as an alternative to prostate removal

Specifically, here at Vascular & Interventional Associates, our team specializes in prostate artery embolization (PAE). It’s highly effective when your BPH is causing urinary symptoms.

With this minimally invasive procedure, we can use a tiny catheter to inject microspheres into the blood vessels that supply your prostate. By decreasing its blood supply, we cause the prostate to shrink. 

Not only does this minimally invasive option reduce your downtime after prostate treatment, but it also reduces your risk of complications. Fewer men deal with incontinence or impotence after PAE than those who undergo surgical procedures to remove the prostate, such as transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). 

All told, you have a range of treatment options, and you may not need to have your enlarged prostate removed. To learn what option is best for you, call our office in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, or request an appointment online today.