Children With Anterior Urethral Valve and/or Anterior Urethral Diverticulum: Three Cases and a Review of the Literature

Abstract

The presence of an anterior urethral valve (AUV) is one of the causes of obstructive uropathies in children. Here we report three cases of children with AUV or anterior urethral diverticula (AUD). Case 1: Fetal ultrasonography at 31 weeks of gestation revealed a lower urinary tract obstruction. After delivery, voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) demonstrated an AUD and left vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Temporary cutatenous vesicostomy was performed and urethral reconstruction was done when the patient was one year old.
Case 2: In a 9-month-old boy, dribbling of urine with a narrow urinary stream was noted from early infancy, and was diagnosed to have AUD with valve by VCUG. Transurethral resection of the valve was performed when he was one year old.
Case 3: A 3-year-old boy with trisomy 21 complained of difficulty in urination. He was diagnosed with AUD and VCUG, and cutaneous vesicostomy was performed.
A total of 147 cases have been reported as ssuffering from AUV or AUD as of 2011 in Japan. Renal and bladder function can be preserved by early diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, we reviewed the symptoms at the time of diagnosis in reported Japanese cases.