- Vesicoureteral reflux

•	In-Depth Reports Home
•	Back to Article

Encyclopedia

•	Asymptomatic bacteriuria...
•	Reflux nephropathy
•	Retrograde cystography

More Features

•	Printer-friendly version

Vesicoureteral reflux

Ureters (tubes) carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. At the end of the tubes, a flap-like valve prevents urine from backing-up into the ureters and kidneys.

In some children, the valves may be abnormal, or the ureters may not travel deep enough into the bladder wall, which can cause vesicoureteral reflux. Vesicoureteral reflux is a condition that allows urine to flow back up into the ureters and kidneys, causing repeated urinary tract infections. The reflux of urine exposes the ureters and kidney to infection from bacteria and high-pressure generated by the bladder during urination. If left untreated, urinary infections can cause kidney damage, renal scarring (potentially stunting kidney growth), and high blood pressure later in life.

Vesicoureteral reflux is treated with antibiotics, or, in severe cases, with surgery.

Review Date: 1/25/2018
Reviewed By: Jennifer Sobol, DO, Urologist with the Michigan Institute of Urology, West Bloomfield, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.