Purple urine bag syndrome

Abstract

The case is presented of a 62-year-old male patient who was referred by the Oncology Department for evaluation of purple-colored urine. Over the past three months the patient has had an indwelling catheter because of urinary retention after surgical resection of a brain metastasis of a lung tumor. The patient is to be treated with holoencephalic radiotherapy and afterwards with systemic chemotherapy. The only current medication was omeprazole, which he took intermittently. He also complained of anorexia and nausea. The urinary bag contained purple-colored urine, which appeared turbid upon extraction. Urinalysis was consistent with urinary tract infection. The color of the urine gave rise to an interesting scientific discussion. The mechanisms are discussed through which urine takes a purple color