Case Report

Purple Hues in the Urinary Bag: A Rare but Striking Clinical Phenomenon

Volume: 22 Number: 4 December 25, 2025
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Purple Hues in the Urinary Bag: A Rare but Striking Clinical Phenomenon

Abstract

Purple Urine Bag Syndrome (PUBS) represents a rare but striking clinical entity, predominantly affecting elderly, immobilized patients with long-term urinary catheterization. The purple discoloration of the urine collection system stems from bacterial enzymatic interactions with tryptophan metabolites. A 75-year-old woman, recently bedridden following a cerebrovascular event, was brought to the emergency department due to an unusual purple hue in her urine collection bag. On examination, she exhibited left-sided hemiplegia and mild suprapubic tenderness. Laboratory findings were mostly within normal limits, except for a positive urine culture growing Escherichia coli. The catheter was replaced, and the patient’s family was reassured about the benign nature of the condition. The patient was discharged with appropriate oral antibiotic treatment targeting the urinary tract infection. Although benign, PUBS may cause significant psychological distress due to its unusual appearance. Familiarity with this condition among emergency physicians is crucial to avoid unnecessary diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Timely recognition and proper management, including catheter care and targeted antibiotic therapy, usually result in rapid resolution.n.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Emergency Medicine

Journal Section

Case Report

Early Pub Date

December 15, 2025

Publication Date

December 25, 2025

Submission Date

April 12, 2025

Acceptance Date

August 11, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 22 Number: 4

APA
Dönmez, Z., Demir, H. A., Şeyhanlı, E. S., Özsoy, A. C., Tabası, M., & Rayan, A. S. (2025). Purple Hues in the Urinary Bag: A Rare but Striking Clinical Phenomenon. Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi, 22(4), 842-844. https://doi.org/10.35440/hutfd.1674873
AMA
1.Dönmez Z, Demir HA, Şeyhanlı ES, Özsoy AC, Tabası M, Rayan AS. Purple Hues in the Urinary Bag: A Rare but Striking Clinical Phenomenon. Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi. 2025;22(4):842-844. doi:10.35440/hutfd.1674873
Chicago
Dönmez, Zahit, Hüseyin Avni Demir, Eyyup Sabri Şeyhanlı, Ahmet Celal Özsoy, Muhammed Tabası, and Abdul Samed Rayan. 2025. “Purple Hues in the Urinary Bag: A Rare But Striking Clinical Phenomenon”. Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi 22 (4): 842-44. https://doi.org/10.35440/hutfd.1674873.
EndNote
Dönmez Z, Demir HA, Şeyhanlı ES, Özsoy AC, Tabası M, Rayan AS (December 1, 2025) Purple Hues in the Urinary Bag: A Rare but Striking Clinical Phenomenon. Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi 22 4 842–844.
IEEE
[1]Z. Dönmez, H. A. Demir, E. S. Şeyhanlı, A. C. Özsoy, M. Tabası, and A. S. Rayan, “Purple Hues in the Urinary Bag: A Rare but Striking Clinical Phenomenon”, Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 842–844, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.35440/hutfd.1674873.
ISNAD
Dönmez, Zahit - Demir, Hüseyin Avni - Şeyhanlı, Eyyup Sabri - Özsoy, Ahmet Celal - Tabası, Muhammed - Rayan, Abdul Samed. “Purple Hues in the Urinary Bag: A Rare But Striking Clinical Phenomenon”. Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi 22/4 (December 1, 2025): 842-844. https://doi.org/10.35440/hutfd.1674873.
JAMA
1.Dönmez Z, Demir HA, Şeyhanlı ES, Özsoy AC, Tabası M, Rayan AS. Purple Hues in the Urinary Bag: A Rare but Striking Clinical Phenomenon. Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi. 2025;22:842–844.
MLA
Dönmez, Zahit, et al. “Purple Hues in the Urinary Bag: A Rare But Striking Clinical Phenomenon”. Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 22, no. 4, Dec. 2025, pp. 842-4, doi:10.35440/hutfd.1674873.
Vancouver
1.Zahit Dönmez, Hüseyin Avni Demir, Eyyup Sabri Şeyhanlı, Ahmet Celal Özsoy, Muhammed Tabası, Abdul Samed Rayan. Purple Hues in the Urinary Bag: A Rare but Striking Clinical Phenomenon. Harran Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi. 2025 Dec. 1;22(4):842-4. doi:10.35440/hutfd.1674873

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