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Man's urine turns GREEN in rare medical case

A man’s urine has turned green as doctors treated him for a breathing problem.

The man, 62, was treated in Chicago for hypercapnic respiratory failure after showing difficulty breathing and was intubated, according to his case in the New England Journal of Medicine.

He was placed in the intensive care unit.

Green urine is seen in a medical bag.
A man's urine turned green as doctors treated him for breathing problems. Source: NEJM

“Five days after admission to the ICU, his urine became green,” researchers wrote.

“Green discolouration of the urine may be attributed to a number of factors, including medication obstructive jaundice, and infection with pseudomonas species.”

Doctors determined it was likely propofol, a sedative, which caused the green urine as he didn’t seem to have any infections.

“After a two-week hospitalisation, the patient was discharged to a rehabilitation facility,” researchers wrote.

“Propofol is metabolised primarily in the liver; it is thought that its phenolic metabolites can cause green discoloration of the urine when it is eliminated through the kidneys.”

While green urine is uncommon, it’s not harmful, researchers wrote.

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