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Published on: October 12, 2017

Congenital urethral cysts in boys with vesicoureteric reflux

R B Tröbs1, J Nounla, R Faber

  • 1Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. trob@medizin.uni-leipzig.de

International Urology and Nephrology
|November 19, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Congenital urethral cysts in boys may coexist with vesicoureteric reflux. However, urethral cysts are unlikely to cause reflux in most cases, except possibly in fetal infravesical obstruction.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Urology
  • Congenital Abnormalities
  • Urinary Tract Disorders

Background:

  • Congenital urethral cysts are rare anomalies.
  • Vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) is a common condition in pediatric urology.
  • The relationship between urethral cysts and VUR requires further investigation.

Observation:

  • This report details four cases of congenital urethral cysts diagnosed via endoscopy.
  • In three cases, the presence of urethral cysts alongside VUR appeared coincidental.
  • The fourth case involved fetal infravesical obstruction, suggesting a potential link.

Findings:

  • Endoscopic diagnosis is effective for identifying congenital urethral cysts.
  • A strong causal link between urethral cysts and VUR is not evident in most presented cases.
  • Fetal infravesical obstruction may be a contributing factor in some instances.

Implications:

  • Urethral cysts should be considered in the differential diagnosis for boys presenting with VUR.
  • While often incidental, the potential role of urethral cysts in VUR pathogenesis warrants consideration, particularly in cases of obstruction.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the complex relationship between these conditions.
Abstract

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