A complicated case of recurrent Cowper’s gland abscess

Abstract

A Caucasian man 64 years old was admitted to our department for fever, strangury, frequency and pain in the perineum secondary to the relapse of Cowper’s gland abscess previously treated by antibiotic therapy and trans-perineal ultrasound-guided aspiration. At admission, the clinical parameters were suggestive of sepsis; moreover, the trans-perineal ultrasound detected an hypoechoic mass suspicious for the recurrence of Cowper’s gland abscess. A suprapubic catheter was positioned and a targeted antibiotic therapy (Colistin 9000.000 U intravenously every day for 8 days plus meropenem 500 mg intravenously every 8 hours for 10 days) was administered. The patient during the follow up presented long fibers of mucus in the urine and recurrent positive urine culture, therefore two months later underwent trans-perineal surgical asportation of the left Cowper’s gland. One month after surgery the patient was readmitted for the presence of a urinary fistula between bulbar urethra and perineum. A new suprapubic catheter was positioned and after three months was removed because a complete restitutio ad integrum was shown by retrograde cystourethrogram and uroflowmetry. In conclusion, the abscess of Cowper’s gland could represent a very rare but severe clinical event that need aggressive therapy and close follow up for its potentially high rate of early and late clinical complications; in the presence of recurrence the surgical asportation of the Cowper’s gland should be considered.