Suprapubic bladder puncture in a private pediatric practice

Suprapubic bladder puncture was performed 185 times in 126 girls in a private pediatric practice. Cultures of urine obtained by aspiration confirmed symptoms as indicative of urinary tract infection in 59% of instances and confirmed positive cultures of urine obtained by voiding in 57% of instances. Since suprapubic bladder puncture avoids the problem of contamination, it enables a certainty in diagnosis that voided specimens cannot. The procedure was easily accomplished in the office and was readily accepted by parent and child. No complications were observed.