Prostatic abscess: diagnosis and treatment of an infrequent urological entity

OBJECTIVE: To report two cases of prostatic abscess of difficult management and review the literature on diagnosis and management of this entity. METHODS /RESULTS: We describe two patients with prostatic abscess. The first one, a 73-year-old diabetic male, was treated using a more passive approach with percutaneous transrectal drainage; after a slow response, the patient passed away due to sepsis. The second case was a 59-year-old male who experienced a negative clinical response to antibiotic treatment. While under antibiotic ambulatory care the patient was treated with a transurethral resection of the prostate, which yielded a successful outcome. CONCLUSION: Prostatic abscess is a rare entity that affects individuals experiencing weakness and can be a serious condition. Measures taken to arrive at a resolution must be rapid and appropriate.