Vesicoureteral reflux

This refers to an abnormal movement of urine from bladder into ureters or kidneys. Urine normally passes from kidneys to the bladder via ureters. In Vesicoureteral reflux, the direction becomes reverse. Vesicoureteral reflux may be present before birth as prenatal hydronephrosis, an abnormal widening of the ureter or with a urinary tract infection or acute pyelonephritis.

Signs and symptoms

Its symptoms include:

• Newborns with faltering growth
• Infants and young children with pyrexia, dysuria, frequent urination
• GIT symptoms
• Tract infection

Causes

• Congenital defect
• Defect in functional valve between the bladder and ureters
• Malfunction in the urinary system

Treatment

Treatment options include:

• Medications are used to treat UTIs to prevent the infection from reaching to kidneys. A child being treated with medication needs to be monitored for as long as he or she is taking antibiotics.
• Surgery for vesicoureteral reflux repairs the defect in the functional valve between the bladder and each affected ureter that keeps it from closing and preventing urine from flowing backward.