Prostate abscesses are caused by bacteria.
Common symptoms include frequent urination, pain while urinating, difficulty with urination, or retaining urine.
Men with symptoms that suggest a possible prostate abscess undergo ultrasonography Ultrasonography There are a variety of tests that can be used in the evaluation of a suspected kidney or urinary tract disorder. (See also Overview of the Urinary Tract.) X-rays are usually not helpful in evaluating... read more and possibly cystoscopy Cystoscopy A doctor can diagnose some disorders of the bladder and urethra (for example, bladder tumors, stones in the bladder, benign prostatic enlargement) by looking through a flexible viewing tube... read more to confirm the diagnosis.
Antibiotic therapy and drainage of pus from the abscess are the treatments of choice.
The prostate is a gland in men that lies just under the bladder and surrounds the urethra. The gland, along with the nearby seminal vesicles, produces much of the fluid that makes up a man's ejaculate (semen).
Male Reproductive Organs
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Symptoms of Prostate Abscess
Common symptoms include
More frequent urination
Painful or difficult urination
Difficulty emptying the bladder (urinary retention)
Pain in the area between the scrotum and anus
Other, less common symptoms include scrotal pain due to epididymitis (inflammation of the coiled tube that contains and carries sperm), blood in the urine, and a pus-containing discharge from the urethra. Fever is sometimes present.
Rectal examination done by a physician may be painful. The prostate is usually enlarged.
Diagnosis of Prostate Abscess
Prostate ultrasonography
Possibly cystoscopy
Doctors often suspect prostate abscess in men with persistent pain in the area between the scrotum and anus (perineum). Continued or recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs Overview of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) In healthy people, urine in the bladder is sterile—no bacteria or other infectious organisms are present. The tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body (urethra) contains no bacteria... read more ) despite treatment are also cause for suspicion. Men with these symptoms should undergo prostate ultrasonography Ultrasonography There are a variety of tests that can be used in the evaluation of a suspected kidney or urinary tract disorder. (See also Overview of the Urinary Tract.) X-rays are usually not helpful in evaluating... read more and possibly cystoscopy Cystoscopy A doctor can diagnose some disorders of the bladder and urethra (for example, bladder tumors, stones in the bladder, benign prostatic enlargement) by looking through a flexible viewing tube... read more .
Many abscesses, however, are discovered unexpectedly during prostate surgery or endoscopy of the urinary tract (cystoscopy). Although it is common to find pus and bacteria in the urine in men with a prostate abscess, some men may not have any pus or bacteria.
Treatment of Prostate Abscess
Antibiotics
Drainage of pus
Treatment involves antibiotics (for example, ciprofloxacin or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) and drainage of pus from the abscess. To drain pus, the doctor may use one of two methods. In one, the doctor threads an instrument up the urethra and then punctures and drains the abscess. In the other, the doctor uses a hollow needle inserted in the area between the scrotum and anus (perineal area) to aspirate (suck up) the pus through the needle.
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Generic Name | Select Brand Names |
|---|---|
ciprofloxacin |
Cetraxal , Ciloxan, Cipro, Cipro XR, OTIPRIO, Proquin XR |
trimethoprim |
Primsol, Proloprim, TRIMPEX |
