Living Healthy: Prostate artery embolization

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) - It's time for this week's Living Healthy segment. Today it's a story for the guys in the room. Prostate artery embolization is a minimally invasive treatment that helps men suffering from an enlarged prostate.

The treatment uses a tiny catheter in the wrist or groin and blocks blood flow to shrink the prostate. This will relieve symptoms like frequent urinary, urination and nighttime urgency to use the restroom.

Dr. Sonny Bagla, interventional radiologist for the Urologic Institute, says untreated secondary complications are even worse.

"A prostate untreated, which is causing obstruction, can lead a man to get urinary tract infections, bladder stones. Ultimately, a man can end up with a catheter," Bagla said.

After the procedure, Bagla says it takes about 4 to 12 weeks for the prostate to shrink, and most men simply notice a better quality of life after treatment.