Urinary infection before and after prostatectomy.

To determine the prevalence of pre and post prostatectomy related urinary tract infection and its correlation with peri-operative events, we studied 120 patients who underwent prostatectomy due to benign prostatic hypertrophy from September 2005 to September 2006. Urine cultures were performed before the operations, after a week, and three months later. Data including prostate volume, prostatic specific antigen (PSA), post voiding residue (PVR) and histopathological reports as well as the duration of urinary leak, bladder irrigation, hospitalization, and catheterization were studied. The mean age of the studied patients was 70.5 +/- 8 years. Significant preoperative bacteriuria was revealed in 18 (15%) patients of whom 14(77%) patients developed negative cultures following the operation. Postoperative bacteriuria was detected in 9(7.5%) patients who negative urine cultures preoperatively. Pre and post operative micro-organisms were different in the majority of the cases. The mean PSA was higher in patients with a positive history of infection. Following prostatectomy, patients with positive urine cultures had significantly longer urinary leakage, catheterization, and hospital stays compared with those who remained culture negative. We conclude that the incidence of positive urine culture pri-prostatectomy for BPH can be improved by appropriate antibiotic therapy, and the risk factors for postoperative urinary infection include preoperative infection, prolonged urinary leakage, catheterization, and hospital stay. The elevated PSA may be a risk factor.