Spectrum of ectopic ureters in children

We reviewed the clinicopathological features, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of ectopic ureters (EU) in children in order to evaluate the anatomy, renal function, outcome, and the existence of any racial or regional difference in this abnormality. The records of 27 consecutive patients with 33 EU managed over a period of 7 years were analyzed. There were 25 female and two male patients. Their age ranged from 1 to 13 years, with an average of 4.5 years. The presenting features included history of continuous dribbling of urine with otherwise normal voiding in toilet-trained female patients, incontinence of urine, urinary tract infection, abdominal pain, and renal failure. The diagnostic work-up included ultrasonography (US) in all 27 patients, intravenous pyelography (IVP) in 23, micturating cystourethrogram (MCU) in 19, nuclear imaging (NI) in 16, and computed tomogram (CT) in five patients. All patients underwent examination under anesthesia (EUA) and cystourethrovaginoscopy immediately before the operation. Single-system ectopic ureter (SSEU) was present in 19 patients with 25 ureters (six bilateral), and duplex with ectopic ureter was present in eight cases. The left side was involved in 14 cases, the right side in seven, and the anomaly was bilateral in six cases. Abnormalities noted in the imaging studies were USG 23/27, IVP 23/23, MCU 11/19, NI 13/16, and CT 5/5 cases. EUA and cystourethrovaginocsopy helped in localization of the ectopic site and evaluation of the bladder. The surgical treatment included nephroureterectomy (NUT) for non-functioning kidney in 7 patients, heminephroureterectomy (HNUT) for non functioning upper pole of duplex kidney with EU in 6 patients, ureteric reimplantation (UTR) in 13 patients (19 ureters, 6 bilateral), and ureteropyelostomy (UTP) in one patient. In the follow-up period ranging from 1 to 5 years, 20 patients achieved continence; however, six cases with bilateral SSEU and one case of unilateral SSEU, who also had a patulous bladder neck, continued to dribble urine. SSEU was more common than duplex with ectopic ureter. A large number of functioning renal units associated with SSEU deserved preservation. The success of surgical treatment in terms of achievement of continence was high and depended on the integrity of the bladder neck.