The management of vesicoureteral reflux in children with neurogenic bladders.
Sixty-two children with 90 refluxing ureters and neurogenic bladder dysfunction were initially managed by clean intermittent catheterisation. The upper urinary systems demonstrated hydronephrosis and/or parenchymal scarring in 57 kidneys and were normal in 33. Each child was placed on low dose antimicrobials and followed nonoperatively unless there was evidence of a febrile urinary tract infection or upper tract deterioration at which point antireflux surgery or urinary diversion was performed. Our experience suggests that children with neurogenic bladders and reflux may be safely managed by clean intermittent catheterisation and that low or moderate degrees of reflux may actually disappear. If recurrent bacilliuria or febrile urinary infections are noted then ureteroneocystostomy is a reliable and effective treatment option in neurogenic bladder disease provided that the bladder dysfunction is controlled. Higher grades of reflux have proven more difficult to manage and in our experience the reflux has not spontaneously abated and frequently there are associated episodes of acute pyelonephritis and renal damage. Because of our success with reimplantation surgery, we now favour early ureteroneocystostomy in such circumstances. With effective management of the neurogenic bladder dysfunction with intermittent catheterisation permanent urinary diversion should only occasionally be necessary because of vesicoureteral reflux.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D001750:Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic / Q000150:complications*; D014546:Urinary Catheterization; D014547:Urinary Diversion; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000601:surgery; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*