GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Earlier this year, King Charles underwent a procedure for an enlarged prostate , which sparked interest in the extremely common condition among older men. Rowe Winecoff of Edina is about to undergo treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH — a non-cancerous enlarged prostate.
The growth of the gland puts pressure on the urethra, weakening the bladder. "There's a little bit of nerves but it's a relatively simple procedure," Winecoff said. "For about 10 years I've had had some issues with urinating.
" By the age of 50, half of all men will have the condition and the percentage increases with age. There are multiple treatment options for BPH ranging from medications to surgery. Golzarian and a team at the University of Minnesota Medical Center were the first in the U.
S. to complete a less invasive option called Prostatic Artery Embolization in 2012. "Our technique is the only one that actually goes through arteries or to the wrist or to the groin," said Golzarian, co-founder and CEO of North Star Vascular and Interventional.
PAE is performed completely inside the body. Golzarian and his team use imaging to guide very tiny catheters through the blood vessels to the treatment area. Inside, particles are injected that plug up the artery, blocking the blood flow.
"By making the prostate softer, it reduces the pressure on the urethra, and so the patient can urinate better," Golzarian said. Norman Munk of Minneapolis had the procedure in late March a.