Infected Patent Urachus Presenting As Umbilical Discharge in an Adult: A Case Report
Andrew Roach1, Joycelyn A Botelho2, Ryan Muakkassa1
1Emergency Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Akron, USA.
Cureus
|July 11, 2026
Summary
A rare case of adult patent urachus, presenting as umbilical discharge and pain, was successfully managed conservatively. This highlights the need for high suspicion of urachal anomalies in adults with similar symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Embryology
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- The urachus, an embryonic remnant connecting the bladder and umbilicus, typically obliterates by the first trimester.
- Failure of obliteration leads to urachal anomalies, usually diagnosed in infancy.
- Adult patent urachus is rare, often presenting with nonspecific symptoms, complicating emergency department diagnosis.
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