An Adult with a Remnant Urachus Anomaly Diagnosed in the Emergency Department

The urachus is a midline tubular structure that stretches from the apex of the bladder and connects to the umbilicus. Urachal remnants result from incomplete regression of the fetal urachus in infancy. We report the case of a 21-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with purulent drainage from his umbilicus in association with a chronic intermittent “pulling sensation” in the umbilicus and suprapubic areas. An infected urachal remnant was diagnosed and was treated with an oral antibiotic and ultimately with outpatient excision of the remnant. Such cases are rare but have the potential to progress to sepsis. In addition, chronic inflammation can lead to neoplastic transformation (adenocarcinoma). Urachal remnant infections can be considered in adults with umbilical purulent drainage. We propose that the “pulling sensation” described may be a clue to the diagnosis in some patients in which the urachal remnant is attached to the bladder and that the sensation was due to the mechanical connection between the bladder and the umbilicus. The sensation resolved postremoval status of the remnant. This does not appear to have been previously proposed in the literature.