For Men's Health Awareness Month in June, Dr. Shivank Bhatia, a top Interventional Radiologist with UHealth -- the University of Miami Health System, is available for interviews on prostate artery embolization (PAE), a minimally invasive procedure that has revolutionized treatment for benign prostate hyperplasia that commonly affects older men.
On June 5, Dr. Bhatia will also participate in a legislative briefing on Capitol Hill highlighting the state-of-the-art, minimally-invasive PAE procedure. The briefing, hosted by the Society of Interventional Radiology, will feature Rep. Donald Payne, Jr., D-N.J., Chair of the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus and follows Rep. Payne, Jr.’s resolution to support the designation of June 12–18, 2023 as National Men’s Health Week. Dr. Bhatia will be accompanied by a patient who was successfully treated with PAE.
Prostate artery embolization is a solution for benign prostatic hyperplasia, a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland, which is the most common benign condition found in men, impacting nearly 70% over age 60. The enlarged prostate leads to symptoms like urinary urgency, increased frequency, poor urinary flow and an inability to empty the bladder. If left untreated, this condition can lead to urinary retention, formation of stones in the urinary tract and compromised kidney function.
With PAE, interventional radiologists inject tiny particles into arteries that feed the prostate gland, reducing its blood supply, thereby shrinking it.
“Millions of men avoid treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia because of the risks of surgery, including sexual side effects and leakage,” said Shivank Bhatia, M.D., FSIR, Professor of Interventional Radiology and Urology, and Chair of Interventional Radiology at UHealth—the University of Miami Health System and the Miller School of Medicine. “PAE avoids these risks while achieving long-term positive clinical outcomes.
Dr. Bhatia is the principal investigator on the largest long-term North American study on PAE, with 1,000 study participants. Results have shown that a majority of the patients who undergo PAE report significant sustained relief up to six years from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) or urinary retention due to benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Rep. Payne, Jr., will speak on a panel with Dr. Bhatia and Bruce R. Kava, M.D., Professor of Urology and Director of Men's Health at the University of Miami Desai Sethi Urology Institute and President-elect of the American Society for Men's Health, along with a patient whose benign prostatic hyperplasia was treated successfully with PAE.
“The majority of American men avoid the preventative care necessary to prevent minor health issues from becoming major health problems,” said Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. “But if we can raise awareness of the importance of early health screenings, we can promote more advanced treatments for early medical interventions, such as prostate artery embolization, to improve the lives of men nationwide.”
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About the Society of Interventional Radiology
The Society of Interventional Radiology is a nonprofit, professional medical society representing more than 8,000 practicing interventional radiology physicians, trainees, students, scientists and clinical associates, dedicated to improving patient care through the limitless potential of image-guided therapies. SIR’s members work in a variety of settings and at different professional levels—from medical students and residents to university faculty and private practice physicians. Visit sirweb.org.
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