UNC Radiology Clinical Research Director and Vascular-Interventional Radiology (VIR) Division Chief Ari Isaacson, MD, is an established investigative interventional radiologist with a knack for forming partnerships. His collaborations with industry for clinical trials have led to new applications of arterial embolization in interventional radiology. In 2014, Dr. Isaacson partnered with UNC Urology Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs Mathew Raynor, MD, to conduct a clinical trial investigating prostatic artery embolization (PAE) to treat urinary symptoms from BPH. Drs. Isaacson and Raynor formed a cross-disciplinary, collegial partnership that laid the framework at UNC Health for male patients presenting to UNC Urology for relief from symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) to be offered this cutting-edge minimally invasive procedure.
In February 2021, Drs. Isaacson and Raynor were podcast guests on BackTable.com*, a comprehensive, interactive forum for interventional radiologists, vascular surgeons and cardiologists to share knowledge with their peers. Over 40 minutes, the collaborating UNC duo recapped how UNC Health’s cross-disciplinary PAE program permits two specialties to manage and procedurally treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with PAE in roles best suited to areas of expertise. UNC Urology serves as the typical entry point for BPH patients at UNC Health who opt for PAE. Dr. Raynor’s team emphasizes to all choosing PAE that their case will be handled by two UNC Health departments – UNC Urology conducts patient evaluation, work-up and follow-up, and UNC interventional radiologists provide the procedural expertise.
In 2014, Isaacson led the first PAE clinical trial with FDA oversight in the U.S. The trial evidenced the safety and efficacy of treating BPH with PAE, and subsequently UNC Urology began referring BPH patients to UNC VIR who were good candidates for the procedure. Advanced beyond the investigative years now, around 60% of UNC VIR’s PAE cases are UNC Urology referrals.
Isaacson pointed out: “I’m grateful that Dr. Raynor has been willing to be a co-investigator with me on multiple PAE trials. Through his experience seeing the patients in these trials, he has become very knowledgeable about who are appropriate candidates for the procedure.”
“I am also delighted that UNC Urology has invited me to speak on PAE for their faculty on multiple occasions. There is very little territorialism. We respect the benefits of each other’s procedures and ultimately work together to provide the type of patient care that is available at very few locations around the country.”
Raynor noted: “Not everyone is a candidate for PAE, but patients that have extremely large prostates, patients who have to be on anticoagulation, or patients who just want to try the most minimally invasive procedure as their first option can really benefit.”
In 2020, Drs Isaacson and Raynor co-edited a textbook entitled, Prostatic Arterial Embolization (Springer)**, along with Dr. Hyeon Yu, UNC VIR’s Director of Operations, and PAE expert and colleague Dr. Sandeep Bagla (Prostate Centers USA, Woodbridge, VA).
Isaacson noted: “Co-authoring this textbook presented a nice opportunity to partner with Dr. Raynor and create a publication that was rich in information about BPH as a disease entity. It is very important that interventional radiologists who perform PAE have a solid understanding of the pathophysiology and alternative treatments, in order to best counsel patients and communicate with our Urology colleagues.”
Dr. Raynor stated: “Urology patients are commonly treated within Interventional Radiology. Therefore it is important that we have a good, collaborative relationship to provide high quality care. The work we have done with PAE is a good example of this.”
* The weekly BackTable.com podcast has also featured UNC Radiology VIR faculty Drs. Peter Bream and Maureen Kohi.
** Isaacson A, Bagla S, Raynor M, Yu H (Eds.). Prostatic Arterial Embolization. Springer. 2020. 149 pgs.
PHOTOS L to R:
UNC Associate Professor of Radiology Dr. Ari Isaacson / UNC Professor of Urology Dr. Mathew Raynor