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What Causes Repeated Episodes Of UTI?

Posted on Thu, 2 Jun 2016

Question: I have been fighting urinary tract infections for several years after three surgerys, MESH PLACEMENT RESULTED IN CONSTANT INFECTION, mesh REMOVAL, hbo TREATMENTS TO ASSIST HEALING, AND CURRENTLY HAVE FOR NINE MONTHS AN artificial spinchter WHICH WORKS WELL, HOWEVER I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING URINARY INFECTIONS AND EVEN THOUGH HAVE RECEIVED MULTIPLE ANTI BIOTIC INFUSIONS, THE INFECTIONS ALWAYS COME BACK WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO. CONCERNED THAT INFECTION GETS INTO ARTIFICIAL SPINCHTER AND WILL HAVE TO BE REMOVED. PLEASE HELP!!!

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (54 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Unlikely for Artificial Sphincter to get infected .

Detailed Answer:
Hello Thanks for your query,based on the facts that you have posted it appears that you have repeated episodes of UTI and have been put artificial sphincter since 9 months and worried about the sphincter getting infected .

I shall be happy if you can post me few more details to help me in making comments on your problem.
1) What was the reason for incontinence of urine making it mandatory to put sphincter ?
2) Have you undergone any surgery that got complicated into developing incontinence of urine .

Unfortunately getting repeated episodes of UTI is common sequele of complicated endoscopic surgery and one needs to take appropriate antibiotic as per urine culture report .

As regards your fear about sphincter getting infected I wold state that since the artificial sphincter is placed outside urethra there is no risk of it getting infected after 9 months .

Please continue taking antibiotics as per culture report.

Hope I have answered your query ,please feel free to ask if you have more questions , I shall be happy to help you.
Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (10 days later)

i HAD pROSTATE CANCER IN 2002, CANCER CAME BACK IN 2010. i THEN HAD 36 RADIATION TREATMENTS WHICH GOT CANCER IN REMISSION. HOWEVER, I THEN BECAME INCONTENENT, UROLOGIST PUT MESH IN, AND I HAD INFECTIONS ALL THE TIME. ANOTHER UROLOGIST RECOMMENDED HBO TREATMENTS TO EXPEDITE HEALING OF BLADDER. (HAD150 TREATMENTS), THEN MESH REMOVED. CONTINUED INFECTIONS AND INCONTENENCE. THEN IN 2013 HAD SUPER PUBIC, CONTINUING WITH SPORADIC INFECTIONS. FINALLY NINE MONTHS AGO HAD ARTIFICIAL SPINCHTER WHICH WORKS WELL, HOWEVER HAVE CONTINUING INFECTIONS AND ANTI BIOTIC INFUSIONS WHERE-IN INFECTION LEAVES FOR 7-10 DAYS AND COMES BACK. UROLOGIST NOW RECOMMENDING BLADDER REMOVAL AND PERMANENT CATHETER AND BAG. YOUR COMMENT PLEASE.

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Removing the bladder is very drastic approach .

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for follow up .

I do agree your concern about your problem .You have chronic UTI and has to take antibiotics as per repeated urine culture .

Normally Cystectomy (Removing Bladder ) is advised in cancer of bladder I would rather consider removing the bladder for chronic UTI as a a very drastic step .More over it will not resolve your problem of Chronic UTI .The only option is to do urine culture and change the antibiotic as per culture report .

Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee