Posterior urethral valves were the obstructing flaps of the tissue in the male urethra (a tube which carries urine from the bladder till the penis tip) that may prevent normal flow of the urine from the bladder. They were the main cause of urinary tract (bladder, kidneys, ureters and urethra: the organs that produce the urine, stores it, and excrete urine) obstruction in male newborns. This disorder may vary in different degree, with mild cases follows by conservatively. More severe cases will have respiratory and renal failure from lung underdevelopment as effect of low amniotic fluid volumes, requiring close monitoring and intensive care.
SYMPTOMS:
Symptoms that will result from PUV may usually vary in terms of the severity, and range from mild to severe symptoms. Hence, each and every child may experiences symptoms differently that may include like:
- An enlargement of the bladder that can be detectable by the abdomen as a large mass
- Urinary tract infection ( this is usually a uncommon symptom in children whoc are younger than 5 and unlikely in boys at every age, if not an obstruction is present)
- Poor weight gain
- Painful urination
- Urinary frequency
- Bedwetting
- Weak urine stream
- Difficulty with urination
CAUSES:
PUV was congenital, which is that the children were born with an extra flap of tissue that may causes the disorder, yet it doesn’t usually diagnosed at birth. Parents won’t pass PUV down to their child. Even though, PUV is seen in the twins and siblings, signifying that there was a possible of genetic component. This is the reason why the tissue in the urethra will grow more than it should it was unknown. However, it’s supposed to occur in early stages in male fetal development.
DIAGNOSIS:
The diagnosis of posterior urethral valves was made by radiographic imaging with the help of ultrasound and voiding cystourethrogram. Ultrasound can usually confirm a dilated urethra, kidney and bladder it was a supportive of the diagnosis to the posterior urethral valves, but not confirmatory. Voiding cystourethrogram was the most definitive study to diagnosis and will illustrate a characteristic tapering of urethra. Rarely, confirmation of valves with help of cystoscopy (a small camera was inserted in the urethra for a direct visualization of valves) was required.
