[Posterior uretral valves. About a series of 44 cases].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the physical symptoms and radiological findings for the diagnosis of posterior urethral valves (PUV), to point of the therapeutic snags depending on gravity and delay of lesions.


METHODS
We reviewed the records of 44 patients with PUV. Mean age: 2 years 1/2 (range 1 day-13 years). More than 75% of patients were less than 2 years old.


RESULTS
In utero diagnosis was made in 8 patients (14%). After birth, the diagnosis was based on urological signs (as frequent as diagnosis is made belatedly) and extra urological signs. Cystourethrography (CUG) showed posterior urethral dilatation in all cases. Ultrasonography (US) showed abnormalities in 30 cases and intravenous urography (IVU), made in 21 cases, was normal in appearance in 7 of them. At diagnosis, it was a renal failure in 36 patients and 8 of them had a terminal renal deficiency. Urethroscopy made in 40 patients, showed PUV in all cases. There were 29 type I valves, 3 type II valves, 5 type III and 3 unclassifiables cases. Treatment was endoscopic in 41 cases and by lamination in the 3 others. Mean follow up is 9 years (range 16 months-19 years) and 19 patients have terminal renal failure from which 3 are deceased.


CONCLUSIONS
PUV are dangerous obstructive uropathies in boy whom end at terminal renal failure in more than 33% of cases. Precocious diagnosis and early ablation of PUV are able to limit the complications inherent to this pathology.
Gargah
Tahar
T
Service de pèdiatrie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis.
Gharbi
Youssef
Y
Ben Moussa
Mohamed
M
Kaabar
Nejib
N
Lakhoua
M Rachid
MR
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004724:Endoscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014521:Urethra / Q000002:abnormalities*; D001750:Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014567:Urography