Purple urine bag syndrome in neurological deficit patient: A case report

Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS), described first in 1978, is a rare phenomenon with purplish discolorations in the urine collecting bag. This report aims to provide a general overview of PUBS, its pathogenesis, and the recommended treatments.

A woman patient, 27 years old, with prior history of congenital rubella infection complained of urinary retention. The patient routinely had foley catheterization due to neurogenic bladder accompanied by paraparesis inferior for 1.5 years. She also suffered bilateral lower extremities edema with infected wounds for two weeks, which showed a purple urine color in the urine bag. The laboratory examination demonstrated iron deficiency anemia, hypokalemia, and blood alkalosis.

The cause of purplish discolorations of PUBS is the mixing of indigo, blue pigment, and indirubin, red pigment, which are results of dietary digestion, hepatic enzymes, and bacterial urine oxidation. The main risk factors are female patients, constipation, older age, recurrent UTI, renal failure, and urinary catheterization, dominantly on chronic treatment with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) urinary catheter or bag.

The management should be promptly, rigorously, and appropriately because the complicated UTI has a high-risk progression of urosepsis.