Exophytic urinary bladder lesions in childhood

A retrospective study of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of eight patients whose common characteristic was an exophytic, solid urinary bladder lesion (botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma, transitional-cell carcinoma, nephrogenic adenoma, cystitis cystica, von Brunn's nests, hemangioma, and squamous-cell metaplasia) is presented. Exophytic bladder lesions, some of which are of great importance, are rare entities in childhood and present nonspecific clinical pictures. Therefore, whenever a space-occupying lesion is detected on a complementary study of the lower urinary tract, the differential diagnosis should be considered. Advantages of each of the currently available diagnostic methods are discussed and the essential role of cystoscopy is stressed.