During your urology appointment to discuss if you are a candidate for prostate artery embolization (PAE), consider asking the questions below. The questions will help you understand your condition and your treatment options.
Questions about Benign Prostate Hyperlasia (BPH):
- What is the prostate?
- What causes BPH?
- How common is BPH?
- Will BPH symptoms get better or worse over time?
- Is BPH prostate cancer? Does BPH increase my risk for prostate cancer?
- Can my lifestyle, such as my diet, exercise habits, and stress level, affect my BPH?
Questions about BPH treatments:
- How do you treat BPH in most patients? What are the benefits and risks of each treatment?
- What are my surgical treatment options? What are the pros and cons of these treatments?
- What are my less invasive treatment options? What are the pros and cons of these treatments?
- If I don’t want surgery, what are my other options?
- What are the rsisk and benefits of watchful waiting?
- What medicines can treat BPH? Can I take these medicines? Why or why not? What are their risks? Are there any side effects?
Questions about surgical options:
- Do I need surgery? Will you remove all or part of my prostate? Why?
- Is there a surgery you recommend for me?
- What are the risks of surgery?
- What are the risks of postponing surgery?
- Will I experience erectile dysfunction (ED) after surgery?
- Can you treat ED? How?
- What are the benefits and risks of ED treatment?
- Will surgery cure BPH?
Questions for a urologist about PAE:
- Do you refer patients to an interventional radiology (IR) for PAE? Why or why not?
- How many of your patients have chosen to use PAE?
- Will you refer me to an IR for a consultation? Why or why not?
Questions for an interventional radiologist (IR) about PAE:
- How often does PAE successfully treat BPH?
- Are patients happy and satisfied with the results of the procedure?
- What are the complications of PAE? How often do they happen?
- What happens during and after PAE?
- How long does PAE take? How long is recovery from PAE?
- How long will I be in the hospital after PAE?
- How long will I be away from work for PAE?
- When can I have sex again after PAE?
- Will I be able to achieve an erection and ejaculate normally after PAE?
- Does my insurance plan cover PAE?
- Will I see you or my urologist for follow-up care? What kind of follow-up care do I need?
- After blood supply is reduced, what happens to my prostate?
- Will my BPH symptoms come back?
- Is PAE right for me?
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