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Published on: October 12, 2017
A rare cause of acute urinary retention in a male infant
N I Wickramasuriya1, M Muthucumaru, P B Hewavithana
1ICU/Anaesthesia, General Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya, KY 20400, Sri Lanka. nadee_wick@yahoo.com
Insights
Acute urinary retention in children is rare, often caused by congenital bladder diverticula. This case highlights bilateral diverticula as a cause in an infant, emphasizing the need for prompt diagnosis and surgical intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Urology
- Congenital Abnormalities
- Urinary Tract Disorders
Background:
- Acute urinary retention (AUR) is uncommon in childhood.
- Congenital bladder diverticula are a rare cause of AUR, predominantly affecting males.
- Typically, congenital diverticula are solitary.
Observation:
- A 3-month-old male infant presented with recurrent episodes of acute urinary retention.
- The retention was attributed to bilateral congenital bladder diverticula.
- Voiding cystourethrography confirmed the diagnosis.
Findings:
- Bilateral congenital bladder diverticula can cause acute urinary retention in infants.
- This presentation is extremely rare, differing from the usual solitary nature of congenital diverticula.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering rare causes of AUR in infants.
- Underscores the diagnostic value of voiding cystourethrography.
- Emphasizes the need for timely clinical and radiological evaluation followed by surgical correction for congenital bladder diverticula causing AUR.
Abstract:
Acute urinary retention is an uncommon entity in childhood, and is associated with a variety of causes. Congenital bladder diverticulae are a rare cause of this condition, and occur almost exclusively in boys. True congenital diverticulae are most often solitary. Acute urinary retention is an extremely rare complication of congenital bladder diverticulae. Voiding cystourethrography is considered the most reliable method for detection. We report a case of a 3-month-old male infant who was presented with several episodes of acute urinary retention caused by bilateral congenital bladder diverticulae. Clinical and radiological evaluation and surgical correction are discussed.
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