📖 Our Prostate Centre
The Prostate Embolization Centre at Cochin AP-HP specialises in prostate artery embolization (PAE) — a minimally invasive alternative to surgery (TURP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). PAE reduces prostate volume by selectively blocking its blood supply via a catheter inserted through the femoral artery, under local anaesthesia, as an outpatient procedure.
Key advantages over TURP: no general anaesthesia, no urinary catheter, no retrograde ejaculation, and same-day discharge. Efficacy: 80–85% improvement in IPSS score. Fully reimbursed by French national health insurance. No patient fees.
| Criterion | PAE (Cochin) | TURP (surgery) |
|---|---|---|
| Anaesthesia | Local ✓ | General/spinal |
| Ejaculation preserved | Yes ✓ | No (60–90% retrograde) |
| Hospital stay | Outpatient ✓ | 2–4 days |
| Recovery | 48h ✓ | 3–6 weeks |
| IPSS improvement | 80–85% | 90–95% (gold std) |
| Reimbursement | 100% ✓ | 100% ✓ |
❓ FAQs
Men with moderate-to-severe IPSS score (≥8), prostate >40 mL, insufficient response to medications, who wish to avoid surgery or preserve ejaculation. Requires prior MRI prostate and PSA.
Unlike TURP, PAE does not cause retrograde ejaculation. Erectile function is also preserved. This is one of the main reasons men choose PAE over surgery.
PAE shows slightly lower IPSS improvement than TURP in head-to-head trials (80–85% vs 90–95%), but with significantly better tolerability, faster recovery, and preserved sexual function. For men who value these factors, PAE is an excellent option.