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A minimally invasive procedure to treat an enlarged prostate has restored Mike’s urinary control.
Anyone driving through Fort Myers on Tamiami Trail is sure to see the fashionable 21-floor twin towers of the Riva Del Lago condominiums rising from Lakes Park. But no one sees those stylish buildings in quite the same way as Mike Sheeley.
One of the nation’s most accomplished and decorated architects — he’s the recipient of more than 75 design awards — Mike designed those high-rises and dozens more like them. And at 68 years old, he’s still churning out plenty of new designs.
“It’s been a good career, very rewarding, and I’m not done yet,” says Mike, who in addition to designing multifamily residences, also creates office parks, restaurants, banks, even car dealerships.
In fact, it’s almost impossible to drive through Fort Myers without seeing at least one of the buildings he’s drawn up.
A couple of years ago, though, Mike found himself in need of someone who had drawn up a better solution for benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH.
Just Do It
Better known as an enlarged prostate, BPH is a bothersome and potentially dangerous medical condition. The cause is not fully understood, but the gland’s growth is associated with natural changes in men as a response to a hormone derived from testosterone. Other factors such as age, genetics, lifestyle and various health conditions likely play a role.
If the prostate grows too large, it can squeeze the prostatic urethra. That can lead to a variety of symptoms, including urinary frequency, urinary urgency, a weak urine stream and frequent nighttime urination. Mike was experiencing several of those symptoms.
“Urgency was one problem,” Mike says. “If I got the feeling I had to go, I had to go right then. But when I did go, I wasn’t able to empty my bladder completely. Frequency was another issue. I was getting up four or five times a night to go, and that really messes with your sleep.
“So, there were several issues I was dealing with, but the one my urologist was most concerned with was the inability to empty my bladder. He said, You’ve got to do something about that because, if you don’t, your bladder could fail, and you’ll have all kinds of other issues.”
Mike agreed that something needed to be done, but due to the potential for complications and a long hospital stay, he wasn’t comfortable with the invasive surgical procedure the urologist first recommended or a less invasive procedure that was offered as an alternative.
“But then I was in there to see him again about 18 months ago, and this time he told me about another procedure,” Mike recalls. “It’s a procedure he doesn’t do, but he referred me to this doctor who does, and that is Dr. Johnson.”
Something New
David P. Johnson, MD, of Florida Radiology Consultants, is an interventional radiologist who specializes in minimally invasive image-guided procedures. Among them is the procedure recommended for Mike, known clinically as prostate artery embolization (PAE).
Similar to ablations aimed at removing blockages in arteries around the heart, PAE uses an endovascular approach, which means it is performed through the blood vessels. It is typically done on an outpatient basis using moderate sedation.
The doctor begins by inserting a long, thin tube called a catheter into an artery, usually in the groin area. Under fluoroscopic guidance, the doctor then navigates the catheter through the arterial system into one of the two arteries that feed the prostate.
Once the catheter is inside a prostatic artery, a batch of small gelatin-like beads is delivered that block blood flow to the prostate, which halts the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the gland’s cells.
“By doing that, the prostate simply shrinks to a more normal size,” Dr. Johnson explains. “In very simple terms, this procedure puts the prostate on a diet.”
As the pressure is relieved on the urethra, normal urinary function is restored. This is typically achieved within three months, but many patients notice improvement after a couple of weeks.
“And unlike some of the other procedures for BPH, this one is done without cutting away any tissue,” Dr. Johnson adds.
“This procedure also treats the entirety of the gland, and one of the great things about it is that we are not limited by the prostate’s size.
“For just about anyone who is having problems because of an enlarged prostate, what we can do for them in essence is turn back the clock 10 or 20 years in terms of their ability to urinate and control their urination. And that leads to a much better quality of life.”
“Remarkable” Results
Mike first visited Dr. Johnson in February. After conducting a thorough examination, Dr. Johnson determined that Mike was an excellent candidate for PAE, which Mike underwent a couple of weeks later.
The results were “absolutely remarkable,” Mike applauds.
“Dr. Johnson told me before he did the procedure that I would probably start to see some changes within a couple of weeks of having it done, but I’m telling you, after only a day or two, I was urinating like I was 20 years old again,” he reports.
“This procedure has absolutely changed my life. I don’t get that urgency anymore, and there are nights now where I don’t have to get up at all to go to the bathroom. All of that is in the past, so I am very grateful that my urologist referred me to Dr. Johnson.”
Mike is so happy with the results that he told his primary care physician about prostatic artery embolization and urged him to refer patients to Dr. Johnson and Florida Radiology Consultants.
Mike is doing all he can to get the word out as well.
“I’ve recommended Dr. Johnson and the PAE treatment to a lot of my friends, and I’ve even gone on Facebook and put it out there,” he says. “I want to make sure other guys like me know about this because the results have been great.”
Relief from Enlarged Prostate: Michael Henderson's Journey to Improved Urinary Function
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