IRVING, Texas — An Irving-based interventional radiologist is expanding outpatient access to a minimally invasive enlarged prostate treatment after newly released five-year outcomes data reinforced the procedure’s long-term effectiveness and safety.
Dr. Lincoln Patel of Elite Minimally Invasive Specialists is increasing availability of Prostate Artery Embolization, or PAE, a non-surgical procedure used to treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, commonly known as enlarged prostate. The procedure is performed in an outpatient setting and is designed to reduce many of the side effects and recovery concerns associated with traditional prostate surgeries.
According to the release, enlarged prostate is one of the most common conditions affecting aging men. Data from the Urology Care Foundation cited in the release states that more than half of men over age 50 and up to 90% of men over age 70 experience urinary symptoms tied to the condition. Symptoms can include frequent urination, interrupted sleep, difficulty starting urination, and weak urine flow.
“Many men assume these symptoms are just something they have to live with,” Patel said. “But advances in care now allow us to offer effective treatment without the tradeoffs that historically made patients hesitant to seek help.”
PAE works by using image guidance to direct a catheter through a small artery in the groin or wrist to the arteries supplying blood to the prostate. Tiny particles are then used to reduce blood flow to the gland, causing it to gradually shrink over time. The procedure generally lasts between 1.5 and 3 hours and is performed using sedation instead of general anesthesia. Patients are typically able to return home the same day.
The release states that compared to traditional procedures such as TURP and newer treatments including Rezūm, UroLift, and Aquablation, PAE offers several advantages for patients. Those include avoiding hospitalization, eliminating the need for a post-procedure catheter, treating a wider range of prostate sizes, and carrying little to no risk of retrograde ejaculation or sexual dysfunction.
Patients may still experience mild temporary urinary irritation following treatment, but most are able to return to normal activities quickly and continue seeing improvement over time, according to the release. The procedure is also covered by most insurance plans.
Patel said he intentionally delayed broadly offering the procedure until long-term data became available.
“I’ve seen promising procedures come and go,” Patel said. “I intentionally waited for five-year outcome data to become available before offering PAE broadly. With that data and the outcomes I’m seeing in my own patients, I’m confident this is an option that will become a standard of care.”
According to the release, Patel is among a relatively small group of physicians in the Dallas-Fort Worth area routinely performing PAE in a true outpatient setting. Most PAE procedures are still performed in hospitals.
Since launching the procedure in his outpatient practice earlier this year, Patel has completed several dozen PAE procedures, placing the practice among the more experienced outpatient providers in the region, according to the release.
Patient Outcomes
Dr. Patel has already seen meaningful outcomes among patients whose symptoms were significantly affecting daily life:
The “Cowboys” Case: One patient, an 86-year-old retired physician, sought treatment after symptoms disrupted his daily life, including missing significant portions of a Dallas Cowboys game due to repeated trips to the bathroom. Three months following PAE, he now urinates approximately every three hours instead of hourly and wakes only once or twice per night.
19 Years of Relief: Another patient, who had relied on self-catheterization six times daily for nearly two decades after multiple other prostate procedures, reduced that need to twice daily just six weeks after PAE and continues to regain normal urinary function.
Experience and Approach
Patel has decades of experience in interventional radiology and previously served as Division Chief of Interventional Radiology for what the release described as the nation’s largest private practice radiology group. He has also served in medical director roles at multiple North Texas hospital systems, including trauma and transplant centers.
“Our patients notice the difference right away,” Patel said. “They speak directly with their physician, they’re not rushed, and we follow them closely after the procedure. Ultimately, this is about improving quality of life. Men shouldn’t have to plan their day around a bathroom.”
About Elite Minimally Invasive Specialists
Based in Irving, Texas, Elite Minimally Invasive Specialists is a physician-owned practice specializing in advanced, image-guided procedures designed to treat a range of conditions with less pain, faster recovery times, and fewer complications than traditional surgery. Learn more at emistexas.com.
