Anterior urethral valves--a rare cause of urethral obstruction

Anterior urethral valves is a very rare congenital anomaly of the anterior urethra. It produces symptoms of varied intensity with the most severe ones leading to Urosepsis and renal failure (similar to as in posterior urethral valves) to the milder ones which may not produce any obstruction at all. However unlike the Posterior urethral valves this anomaly has milder and reversible sequelae in majority of the cases. The clinical presentation is mainly in the form of obstructed stream of urine and UTI and the diagnosis depends essentially on Micturating Cystographic studies and on the awareness and a high level of suspicion of its existence among Paediatricians and General Practitioners.