Why does my leg bag turn purple?

babycakes61 · 10-06-2010, 07:23 PM

Ever since I had my supra pubic surgery I've noticed that my leg bag and foley tube start to turn purple within 5 days of changing them out and continue to turn darker purple the longer they remain. My urine is not purple so what is causing the leg bag and foley to turn that color?

lynnifer · 10-06-2010, 07:38 PM

I've had this since starting use of a foley last summer. More than once in fact. It's a bacteria in your urine, mixing with a protein in your blood that makes it red and an enzyme (?not sure) from your gut. It's actually called 'purple bag syndrome'.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/565078

This phenomenon is known as the purple urine bag syndrome. It is associated with urinary tract infections occurring in catheterized patients, generally elderly females with significant comorbidities and constipation. The urine is usually alkaline. Gram-negative bacteria that produce sulfatase and phosphatase are involved in the formation of pigment, indirubin and indigo. Tryptophan metabolism is involved in the pathogenesis. We present two cases of this rare and interesting phenomenon and discuss the underlying pathogenesis.

melodiclogic22 · 10-07-2010, 07:41 AM

babycakes61,

Porphyria will turn urine purple in sunlight.

Joe

SCI-Nurse · 10-07-2010, 10:17 AM

I have heard of this but never seen it.
-Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is a rare syndrome associated with alkaline urine and some urinary tract infections, and is more frequently observed in chronically catheterized and constipated women. The urinary catheter drainage system changes colour from red or blue to violet or purple, sometimes with differently coloured tube and bag. The etiology is still controversial but in the literature researched most authors believe that indigo, which is blue, and indirubin, which is red, are responsible for the colours obtained.
The chain reaction responsible for the PUBS begins with tryptophan from the food chain being metabolized by gut bacteria. This metabolic process produces indole, which is absorbed into portal circulation and converted into indoxyl sulphate in the liver, after a series of detoxification transformations.
Indoxyl sulphate is excessively excreted in the urine and is digested into indoxyl by the enzyme sulphatase/phosphatase produced by certain bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Morganella morganii, Escherichia coli, and so on. Indoxyl then changes into indigo and indirubin in alkaline urine [1,2].
So I guess maybe getting unconstipated might help and not having the organism in urine.

But otherwise a normal phenomena.

CWO

bob clark · 10-07-2010, 02:30 PM

Hi Babycakes,

Check out this CC link.

http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=8352#10

Bob.

Timaru · 10-07-2010, 03:08 PM

Purple Urinary Bag Syndrome

quadmarie · 10-08-2010, 07:58 PM

My sp tube did this once too!

Sebastiang · 10-08-2010, 08:22 PM

Too much kool-aid?

rybread · 10-09-2010, 04:47 AM

That happened to me once. Don't know what caused it when it went the way and it doesn't seem that happen anymore

10-07-2010, 02:30 PM	#5
bob clark Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 3,648	Hi Babycakes, Check out this CC link. http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=8352#10 Bob. __________________ "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." - Philo of Alexandria

10-07-2010, 03:08 PM	#6
Timaru Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hampshire, England. Posts: 4,836	Purple Urinary Bag Syndrome Last edited by Timaru; 10-07-2010 at 03:50 PM. Reason: Wrong link inserted

10-08-2010, 07:58 PM	#7
quadmarie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Southern USA Posts: 344	My sp tube did this once too! __________________ Marie Unbroken by the grace of God

10-09-2010, 04:47 AM	#9
rybread Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 2,409	That happened to me once. Don't know what caused it when it went the way and it doesn't seem that happen anymore __________________ C-5/6, 7-9-2000 Scottsdale, AZ Make the best out of today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come. Nobody knows that better than those of us that have almost died from spinal cord injury.

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10-06-2010, 07:23 PM	#1
babycakes61 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 5	Why does my leg bag turn purple? Ever since I had my supra pubic surgery I've noticed that my leg bag and foley tube start to turn purple within 5 days of changing them out and continue to turn darker purple the longer they remain. My urine is not purple so what is causing the leg bag and foley to turn that color?

10-06-2010, 07:38 PM	#2
lynnifer Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Windsor ON Canada Posts: 15,310	I've had this since starting use of a foley last summer. More than once in fact. It's a bacteria in your urine, mixing with a protein in your blood that makes it red and an enzyme (?not sure) from your gut. It's actually called 'purple bag syndrome'. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/565078 This phenomenon is known as the purple urine bag syndrome. It is associated with urinary tract infections occurring in catheterized patients, generally elderly females with significant comorbidities and constipation. The urine is usually alkaline. Gram-negative bacteria that produce sulfatase and phosphatase are involved in the formation of pigment, indirubin and indigo. Tryptophan metabolism is involved in the pathogenesis. We present two cases of this rare and interesting phenomenon and discuss the underlying pathogenesis.

10-07-2010, 07:41 AM	#3
melodiclogic22 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 149	babycakes61, Porphyria will turn urine purple in sunlight. Joe

10-07-2010, 10:17 AM	#4
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 41,334	I have heard of this but never seen it. -Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is a rare syndrome associated with alkaline urine and some urinary tract infections, and is more frequently observed in chronically catheterized and constipated women. The urinary catheter drainage system changes colour from red or blue to violet or purple, sometimes with differently coloured tube and bag. The etiology is still controversial but in the literature researched most authors believe that indigo, which is blue, and indirubin, which is red, are responsible for the colours obtained. The chain reaction responsible for the PUBS begins with tryptophan from the food chain being metabolized by gut bacteria. This metabolic process produces indole, which is absorbed into portal circulation and converted into indoxyl sulphate in the liver, after a series of detoxification transformations. Indoxyl sulphate is excessively excreted in the urine and is digested into indoxyl by the enzyme sulphatase/phosphatase produced by certain bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Morganella morganii, Escherichia coli, and so on. Indoxyl then changes into indigo and indirubin in alkaline urine [1,2]. So I guess maybe getting unconstipated might help and not having the organism in urine. But otherwise a normal phenomena. CWO

10-08-2010, 08:22 PM	#8
Sebastiang Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 439	Too much kool-aid?

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