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PAE and CIC

Posted , 5 users are following.

Howard31850
Howard31850

Has anyone who does CIC ( self-catherization) been helped by a PAE procedure? Thanks.

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • hank1953
    hank1953 Howard31850

    Edited

    Hi Howard. I would not consider PAE because it is very inconsistent. It works for some people but not for others. And even when it does work, its improvements are minimal. I read from a study that the everage improvement for PVR is about 50 ml. In that case, for CIC folks like us, we would still have to CIC even if we had a successful PAE procedure. Hank

    • Howard31850
      Howard31850 hank1953

      Posted

      Hi Hank - I had a PAE about 5 years ago at UNC. It did nothing for me but lighten my bank account by a lot of money. A few months after the PAE I had a prostate MRI to see why it did not work. It was very interesting - the necrosis was like a buck shot pattern in the outer prostate but the region close to the urethra where all the constriction is concentrated was not affected.

      PAE is now offered locally and covered by insurance so I was thinking of talking with the doctor to see if the technology has evolved at all for people like me with very large prostates.

      But even Holep sees the prostate grow back over time which is why I was considering the robotic SP to have it removed altogether. But the anesthesia is 5 hours which really worries me regarding kidney damage.

      The Gentlecaths worked really nice so I ordered a few boxes. My bleeding has stopped now but I go really slow - even less than a mm at a time. It was a bad experience and makes me think again about doing something other than CIC. Thanks again. Howard

    • hank1953
      hank1953 Howard31850

      Posted

      Howard, it's good to hear Gentlecaths are doing well for you. Now I use them most of the time. They are definitely better than Cure Ultra. Re HoLEP, I've read from some studies that it lasts a long time. Redo rate after 20 years is only few percent. I'd be happy to have it done again in 20 years. Hank

    • Howard31850
      Howard31850 hank1953

      Posted

      Hank - do you know anyone who had been on CIC for many years like us that was able to get off catheters after Holep? ( or any other procedure). My urologist told me that after all the years on CIC my bladder function has likely been weakened so I may still need to do catheters even after my prostate is removed. Howard

    • hank1953
      hank1953 Howard31850

      Edited

      ... still need to do catheters even after my prostate is remove ...

      Howard, This might be true for most people who do CIC because they do not have natural voice. You and I, however, still have natural void and I think, because of that, we should be able to resume natural voiding. How much more improvement I don't know. I am willing to take a chance with it. Hank

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