Cutaneous vesicostomy in infancy

Cutaneous vesicostomy was performed on 10 infants or young children with hydroureteronephrosis. The etiology of the upper urinary tract dilatation was neurogenic bladder dysfunction secondary to myelodysplasia in 8, and severe vesicoureteral reflux and urinary sepsis in 2. The vesicostomy resulted in marked improvement in the drainage and appearance of the upper urinary tract in each child. When other methods of managing the underlying lower urinary tract dysfunction were deemed more appropriate, the vesicostomy was closed. Cutaneous vesicostomy proved to be an effective, simple and easily reversible means of treating selected infants with lower urinary tract dysfunction.