| Ureterocele | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Specialty | Urology  |
Aureterocele is a congenital abnormality found in the ureter. In this condition thedistal ureter balloons at its opening into the bladder, forming a sac-like pouch. It is most often associated with a duplicated collection system, where two ureters drain their respectivekidney instead of one. Simple ureterocele, where the condition involves only a single ureter, represents only twenty percent of cases.
Since the advent of theultrasound, most ureteroceles are diagnosed prenatally. The pediatric and adult conditions are often found incidentally, i.e., throughdiagnostic imaging performed for unrelated reasons.
The signs and symptoms of ureterocele in the latter two forms can easily be confused with other medical conditions.Symptoms can include:[citation needed]
Many other complications arise from ureteroceles. Redundant collection systems are usually smaller in diameter than single, and predispose the patient to impassablekidney stones. The effective "bladder within a bladder" compounds this problem by increasing the collision ofuric acid particles, the process by which uric acid stones are formed. Ureterocele is also associated with poor kidney function. It can cause frequent blockage of the ureter leading to serious kidney damage. In other cases, a small, upper portion of the kidney is congenitally non-functional. Though often benign, this problem can necessitate the removal of non-functioning parts.[citation needed]
Definitive causes of ureterocele have not been found. While the abnormal growth occurs within theuterus, it has not been substantiated thatgenetics are to blame.[citation needed] Congenital abnormalities of themesonephric duct in males can lead to the formation of a ureterocele, which often coincide with ipsilateral agenesis of the kidney (atrophic kidney) andseminal vesicle cysts, this is known asZinner Syndrome.[1]
IVU-shows Adder head appearance or Cobra head appearance.Cystoscopy-shows translucent cyst which is thin walled surrounding ureteric orifice[citation needed]