title: [Vesicostomy in children].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the upper urinary tract morphology and function in children undergoing vesicostomy for different causes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report on 27 children aged 1 month to 12 years who had undergone a Blocksom vesicostomy procedure. Twenty had a neuropathic bladder and 3 had posterior urethral valves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 20 children with neuropathic bladder, renal function improved in 95% and the associated vesicoureteral reflux improved in 56%. The morphology of the upper urinary tract returned to normal prior to the definitive operation in all cases. Only one of the patients with posterior urethral valves has preserved satisfactory renal function two years following vesicostomy. The most common complication was prolapse (14.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our view, vesicostomy is the best urinary diversion procedure in the cases described herein. Vesicostomy closure must be performed following definitive treatment of the underlying condition, except in those cases with neuropathic bladder who require augmentation cystoplasty to keep upper urinary tract pressures low.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Urología Pediátrica, Hospital Infantil La Fe, Valencia, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lluna González
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Domínguez Hinarejos
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Estornell Moragues
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez Verduch
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: García Ibarra
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003559:Cystostomy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant