🇫🇷 FR 🇬🇧 EN
Cochin Hospital · AP-HP · Université Paris Cité
← IR Home🇫🇷 Français
Cochin AP-HP

Prostate Embolization Centre — Paris, Cochin AP-HP

Interventional Radiology · Cochin Hospital AP-HP · Paris

️ ri.cch@aphp.fr +33 1 58 41 46 12
IR Home›Prostate Embolization Centre — Paris, Cochin AP-HP
🏥 Urology · Non-surgical

Prostate Embolization Centre — Cochin AP-HP, Paris

BPH without surgery · Sexual function preserved · Outpatient · Local anaesthesia · 100% reimbursed · Paris

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.

CriterionPAE (Cochin)TURP (surgery)
AnaesthesiaLocal ✓General/spinal
Ejaculation preservedYes ✓No (60–90% retrograde)
Hospital stayOutpatient ✓2–4 days
Recovery48h ✓3–6 weeks
IPSS improvement80–85%90–95% (gold std)
Reimbursement100% ✓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.

Frequently asked questions

A minimally invasive treatment for an enlarged prostate (BPH) that reduces urinary symptoms by blocking the arteries feeding the prostate, under local anaesthesia, as a day case, while preserving ejaculation.
Men with bothersome urinary symptoms from an enlarged prostate who wish to avoid surgery or its sexual side effects, confirmed by a work-up including PSA, prostate MRI and an IPSS symptom score.
Yes. At Cochin AP-HP (a French public hospital), procedures are covered by national health insurance with no out-of-pocket fees. Contact ri.cch@aphp.fr or +33 1 58 41 46 12.

Related pages

Why this page is trustworthy

Written by the Interventional Radiology team at Cochin Hospital AP-HP, Université Paris Cité. Medically reviewed by an interventional radiologist of the department. Last updated: August 2026.

🏥 Le service 📰 Actualités 🔬 Recherche & essais cliniques