Abstract
Posterior urethral valves are the most common cause of congenital obstructive uropathy leading to renal failure in childhood. We investigate the influence of bladder dysfunction on renal function impairment.
We retrospectively reviewed the records of 116 patients with posterior urethral valves. After valve ablation urodynamic studies were performed in all patients. The presence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), renal dysplasia, serum creatinine during followup as well as urodynamic abnormalities were recorded. Mean followup was 10.3 years after valve ablation.
All patients underwent endoscopic valve ablation and urinary diversion was performed in 32. Renal dysplasia was found in 9 patients. Renal function impairment at the end of followup was present in 35 patients. Urodynamic studies showed poor compliance in 30 boys, detrusor overactivity in 44, and poor compliance and detrusor overactivity in 17. Bilateral VUR was found in 17 boys at the time of diagnosis. Urodynamic studies were normal in 23 (20%) patients, of whom 4 had renal failure. Univariate analysis showed that poor compliance and detrusor overactivity had a significant correlation to renal function impairment in addition to bilateral VUR and renal dysplasia. In a multivariate analysis bilateral VUR was an independent prognostic factor for poor prognosis.
Bladder dysfunction may contribute to renal function impairment eventually but normal urodynamic findings do not preclude renal deterioration. It is likely that loss of compliance and detrusor overactivity would actually result in a valve bladder reaching its end point function.