2002 Volume 76 Issue 10 Pages 893-897
A 46-year-old man refer to us because of hemospermia. The prostatic gland was normal in size and consistency at rectal examination. Serum prostate specific antigen was 7.04ng/ml. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an area of low signal intensity on T2-weighted images in the left peripheral gland, possibly indicative of carcinoma. Transrectal prostate biopsy was performed after intravenous administration of piperacillin. He developed chills and fever (39°C) the next morning following biopsy. He was taken unconscious into the hospital where a diagnosis of septic shock caused by Escherichia coli was made. Five days later, he died. His general condition deteriorated notwithstanding intensive treatment. Postmortem blood cultures were positive for a piperacillin resistant Escherichia coli. Histological examination of the biopsies showed a benign prostatic hyperplasia. Autopsy showed diffuse tissue damage in the heart, lung, liver and kidneys. The prostate had numerous microabscesses.
Currently, transrectal prostate biopsy is considered a generally reliable procedure to detect adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Our case seems to the sixth case report of fatal complications.
