A venous leak occurs when the veins in the penis can’t keep enough blood to maintain an erection, leading to erectile dysfunction. Venous leak embolization, an innovative procedure for men’s health, is a minimally invasive procedure to treat venous leaks.
During embolization, your surgeon will use small particles to block blood vessels and stop blood from leaking. Blocking the leak will allow you to maintain an erection.
The University of Miami Health System has one of the few interventional radiologists in the U.S. offering venous leak embolization.
Who is a Candidate?
Our experts use venous leak embolization for patients with erectile dysfunction. Patients with the following conditions can benefit from embolization:
- Anxiety
- Damaged prostates
- Diabetes
- Nerve conditions and injuries
- Veno-occlusive insufficiency (when too much blood leaves the penis, lowering your ability to maintain an erection)
What to Expect
Venous leak embolization is a minimally invasive procedure, and patients can go home the same day as their treatment.
Before the procedure
After receiving a referral from your primary care physician or urologist, you’ll meet with your care team for an interview to learn more about your erectile dysfunction. Your physician will also conduct a screening ultrasound in the clinic to medically diagnose if the venous leak exists and is causing your erectile dysfunction. Then, if your physician finds a leak, you’ll receive a CT scan at the hospital to identify the specific location of the leak.
During the procedure
Your physician will treat the leaking vein in your penile tissue with targeted therapy. You will not need general anesthesia to be fully asleep, but your care team will provide medications to ease your anxiety and ensure you cannot feel the procedure.
Using imaging as a guide, your physician will use a non-invasive catheter to locate the leak. They will then use material, such as a special kind of foam, to stop the leakage out of your blood vessels.
After the procedure
Following your procedure, your physician will provide instructions on when you can resume sexual activity, which is usually within one month. Your care team will also work with you on a penile rehabilitation program and venous supplementation program to strengthen your veins and improve your ability to maintain an erection. You may also have a referral to pelvic floor therapy.
You’ll follow up with your physician several months after the procedure for a new ultrasound to check the leak. At that time, you’ll also take a questionnaire to help your physician better understand if your erectile dysfunction has improved.
Why Choose UHealth?
Leader in venous leak embolization. University of Miami physicians bring decades of experience in interventional radiology to treat erectile dysfunction. This noninvasive approach is unique and has fewer side effects than surgery. Our team’s success rate for venous leak embolization is well above the national average.
Expert care from highly trained interventional radiologists. Our interventional radiologists and radiology specialists are experts in a variety of minimally invasive procedures — including treatments to remove blood clots and open arteries. In addition, our team excels at performing embolization procedures throughout the body and supporting patients with erectile dysfunction.
Comprehensive care from a team of innovators. Our team includes pioneers who have developed protocols for managing ultrasounds and CT scans to support venous leak embolization.
Leading-edge imaging care in South Florida. Our doctors are also researchers discovering new ways to improve diagnosis and treatment. That means you can get some of today’s most promising advancements through clinical trials. You benefit from the latest developments that are fast-tracked from the lab to the bedside.
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