Men's Health

Interventional radiology uses minimally invasive, image-guided procedures to diagnose and treat a range of conditions that affect men's health.

Especially for procedures like prostate artery embolization and varicocele embolization, interventional radiology avoids the large incisions, pain and possible damage to surrounding tissue, and it can reduce recovery time compared to open surgery.

How Interventional Radiology Treatments Work

• A small, flexible tube, or catheter, is inserted through an incision in an artery, usually in the thigh.
• The physician uses imaging tools like CT, MRI, fluoroscopy and ultrasound to guide the catheter to an exact spot.
• A wire holding instrument, such as a camera or surgical tools, is guided through the catheter to complete the procedure.

Treatments for Men's Health Conditions

At University of Maryland Medical Center, our specialists use interventional radiology procedures for nonsurgical treatment of conditions affecting men’s health

Enlarged Prostate

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the medical term for an enlarged prostate is a common condition as men age, an enlarged prostate can block the flow of urine and cause other urinary tract and kidney problems.

Prostate artery embolization, or PAE, is a safe, nonsurgical option for treatment of BPH. Embolization uses tiny coils, beads, or a thick glue-like fluid to block blood flow to the prostate, allowing it to shrink and reduce pressure on the urethra, restoring normal urination.

Varicocele Embolization

Varicocele is an abnormal enlargement of scrotum veins, a common cause of male infertility. Interventional radiologists use a catheter to place coils in the enlarged veins, relieving pain and, in most cases, restoring fertility.