At 94 years old, Menashe Bromberg of Whippany, NJ, faced a difficult health challenge that significantly impacted his quality of life. In early April, he visited an emergency department in Livingston, NJ, and was admitted for gastrointestinal bleeding. During his hospital stay, doctors discovered he was unable to urinate due to a severely enlarged prostate, and a Foley catheter was placed to relieve his bladder. He was discharged with the catheter still in place.
“I was in the hospital for a couple of weeks and left with a catheter,” Menashe recalls. “It was very uncomfortable, and I kept having problems with it.” In the weeks following his discharge, Menashe returned to the same emergency department multiple times due to chronic complications from the catheter—including bleeding, blockages, and infections. As a result of this he was unable to urinate on his own, and the ongoing issues were significantly impacting his quality of life.
Given his age and medical history—including coronary artery disease, cardiac stents on two blood thinners, and type 2 diabetes— Menashe was not a candidate for traditional surgery. His physician referred him to Dr. Daniel Garnet, an interventional radiologist at Mountainside Medical Center, for a less invasive option: Prostate Artery Embolization (PAE).
“Dr. Garnet was very concerned about my condition,” Mr. Bromberg shared.
Dr. Garnet, board-certified in both Interventional and Diagnostic Radiology, recognized that PAE was the safest and most effective treatment for Mr. Bromberg’s condition. “Mr. Bromberg had multiple comorbidities and had failed several trials to void. He was suffering from chronic complications due to the catheter,” Dr. Garnet explains. “PAE is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure approved by the American Urological Association to reduce prostate size by blocking blood flow to the gland. It’s ideal for patients like Mr. Bromberg who are not surgical candidates for various reasons, one of which may just be the massive size of the gland.”
The procedure was performed with low sedation and minimal blood loss. Unlike traditional surgical options, PAE carries no risk of erectile dysfunction or incontinence. Just two weeks after the procedure, Mr. Bromberg’s catheter was removed, and he successfully passed his voiding test.
“The catheter is out and my quality of life has improved,” Mr. Bromberg shares. “Even though I have to carry the urinal, it’s still much better than having a catheter.”
Dr. Garnet adds, “It’s incredibly rewarding to witness patients like Mr. Bromberg regain their independence and comfort. He’s truly a remarkable individual, and I’m grateful we had the opportunity to support his recovery. His voiding symptoms will continue to improve, and we’re thrilled he no longer needs a catheter. I also want to recognize Mountainside’s outstanding Interventional Radiology team. Their dedication made it possible to fast-track his care just weeks after our initial consultation.”
Now approaching his 95th birthday in November, Mr. Bromberg is enjoying a renewed sense of freedom and relief. “Dr. Garnet and the Mountainside crew showed a lot of concern. They wanted to solve my problem and they did,” he says with gratitude.