Prostatic artery embolization

Illustration of prostatic artery embolization, a technique for treating benign prostatic hypertrophy (adenoma of the prostate). While a urinary probe is inserted through the urethra in order to visualize the center of the prostate, a catheter is introduced through the right femoral artery, up into the common iliac artery, then down the left side via the left, internal iliac artery, the left, internal pudendal artery to reach the prostatic arteries. Micro beads are injected into the prostatic arterioles to the center of the prostate in order to block the arterioles. The size of the prostate slowly decreases. (Photo by: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)