Ureterocele
Most of us are born with two ureters, one from each kidney to drain urine into the bladder. Some (1 in 125 people), on the other hand, have two ureters draining a kidney. This is called "duplex anomaly" of the kidney. A "duplex anomaly" can be associated with a variety of conditions that can affect the kidney health. One of these conditions is referred to as "ureterocele."
Archived from the 2024 edition
Overview
Ureterocele is a congenital anomaly (present at birth) that affects girls more than boys. It is simply a swelling limited to the end of the ureter as it enters the bladder. The swelling resembles a balloon on ultrasound or during a camera examination of the bladder. Ureteroceles in duplex anomalies can be associated with urine refluxing backward to the kidney through the second adjacent ureter. This reflux is related to weakness of the flap valve from having the ureter join the bladder in an abnormal location.
Luckily, diagnostic tests and treatments can find and repair this problem.
In this entry
The archived page carried these sections, in this order.
- What happens under normal conditions?
- What is a ureterocele?
- What are some complications of an ureterocele?
- Symptoms
- Causes
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Surgery
- Antibiotics
- Frequently Asked Questions