Interventional Radiology Services for Men’s Health

Interventional radiology offers minimally invasive treatments for several men’s health conditions. These procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis through a pinhole incision, requiring little to no downtime, and are far less disruptive compared to traditional surgery.

Enlarged Prostate

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is a common condition causing enlargement of the prostate gland. In fact, it is one of the most common medical problems afflicting men over the age of 50. The enlargement of the prostate gland blocks urine from flowing out of the bladder. This results in frequent and difficult urination, which is particularly inconvenient at night.  When left untreated for a long time, it can cause permanent damage to the bladder.

Prostate artery embolization is a relatively new outpatient treatment to improve urinary symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate due to BPH.

Varicocele and Male Fertility

A varicocele is an enlarged network of veins within the skin of the scrotum. When significantly enlarged, these cause pain and testicular shrinkage. In younger men, varicoceles can cause decreased sperm motility and decreased fertility. In older men, varicoceles are a risk for low testosterone, a condition known as hypogonadism.

Varicocele embolization is a minimally invasive alternative to surgery for this condition. A small tube is placed into the vein causing the varicocele, and the vein is permanently blocked off in a process called embolization. This approach has the advantage of avoiding general anesthesia and typically has less pain, with a quicker recovery compared to surgery.

Hydrocele

A hydrocele is a collection of fluid between the scrotum and a testicle. These infrequently occur in adults and are often due to an injury or inflammation. They can also be the result of a prior surgery. If there is a hernia on the same side of the hydrocele, abdominal fluid can track into the scrotum, causing a hydrocele. These can be uncomfortable and painful when fairly enlarged.

Hydrocele sclerotherapy is an in-office alternative to open surgery. The hydrocele is first aspirated using a small needle. Then a liquid is injected into the space to keep fluid from reaccumulating into the space.

Contact us to learn more about men’s health support through interventional radiology.