Why PAE Made the American Urologic Association Guidelines

This episode breaks down a comprehensive 2024 Journal of Urology review on prostate artery embolization (PAE), exploring how it compares to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and medical therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and why it was added to the 2023 American Urologic Association guidelines. The episode also features expert commentary from Dr. Timothy McClure of Weill Cornell Medicine, who highlights the importance of patient selection in real-world PAE practice.Clinical Question: Can PAE relieve moderate-to-severe BPH symptoms while avoiding the bleeding, recovery time, and sexual side effects of TURP?Headline Result: Across randomized trials, PAE reduced IPSS scores by 9 to 21 points, shrank prostate volume by 20 to 30%, and outperformed both sham procedures and medical therapy in symptom relief.Safety Advantage: PAE is a same-day outpatient procedure with no postoperative catheter, near-zero transfusion risk, and strong preservation of sexual function when performed with cone beam CT guidance.Trade-Off: Symptom relief is strong, but urinary flow improvements and long-term durability remain inferior to TURP, with recurrence increasing over time.Bottom Line: For patients with larger prostates who prioritize preserving sexual function, PAE is now a guideline-supported middle ground between medication and surgery. Dr. McClure also explains why identifying the right patient is key to success.Tune in to learn which BPH patients are best suited for PAE and when surgery still makes the most sense.This podcast is generated using an AI model that has been trained in the context of endovascular surgery and interventional radiology in addition context of the article cited below. The content was reviewed and edited by multiple healthcare professionals in the field. Mouli S, Salem R, McClure TD. Prostate artery embolization for benign prostatic hyperplasia. J Urol. 2024;212:216-219. https://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003976