Ureteroceles in children: An ongoing challenge

The treatment of ureteroceles in children requires an individualised approach. Antenatal diagnosis is the ideal, so that postnatal urinary antibiotic prophylaxis and appropriate investigations can be organised. Postnatal investigations should assess both upper and lower urinary tract. Renal and bladder ultrasound and radiographic micturating cystourethragraphy under antibiotic cover will both detect vesicoureteric reflux and assess any bladder outlet obstruction due to the ureterocele. Renal function, particularly of the upper moiety, is best evaluated by technetium Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan. Both function and obstruction can be quantitated by the Tc-99m-mercaptoacetyltriglycine isotope scan with intravenous volume expansion (10 ml/kg) and furosemide diuresis (1 mg/kg). Intravenous urography provides the best anatomic information when the upper moiety is functional. The surgical management is based on the clinical situation, which is often variable, and therefore needs to be tailored for each patient. The general principles include restoration of anatomy to as near normal as possible and preservation of functional renal tissue.