[Congenital obstructive disease of the ureter]

Congenital diseases of the ureter form a broad sub-section of urology, where nomenclature is not clear and much less their etiopathogeny. In attempt to clear this up, we present the morphological study of ureteral development throughout the whole embryonic period, in both human and rat embryos, by means of the use of optical and electronic microscopy. After the description of ureteral obstruction phenomena (at the ureterovesical union and in the ureter itself), we discuss their physiopathological implications in embryonic development and we put forward a common etiopathogenic theory for obstructive diseases of the ureter with a congenital origin.