Abstract
Background: Posterior urethral valve (PUV) is the most common cause of obstructive uropathy in boys. This study was done to find out the pattern of presentation in children till the age of 12 years. Patients and Methods: This case series was conducted at the Children’s Hospital and the Institute of Child Health, Lahore from March 2009 to August 2009. Sixty newly diagnosed cases of posterior urethral valves less than 12 years of age were included in the study. The diagnosis was based on abdominal ultrasonography, micturating cystourethrogram and antenatal USG. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 26.85±4.73 months while at onset of symptoms was 2.72±2.12 months. In only 15% of the patients, diagnosis of posterior urethral valves was made on antenatal USG. Urinary tract infection was the most prevalent condition (90%), followed by poor urinary stream (86.6%), urinary retention (76.6%), palpable abdominal mass (68.3%), failure to thrive (58.3%), renal failure (45%) and diurnal enuresis (21.6%). Conclusion: Posterior urethral valve is an important cause of renal failure in children. A pattern of late presentation and complications are more common in our setup, that is associated with high morbidity and mortality.
