Urinary obstruction in children

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Urinary obstruction in children

A urinary obstruction refers to anything that blocks, slows, or disrupts the normal flow of urine through the urinary tract. Obstructions can occur at any point in the urinary tract . They can be present at birth (congenital) or develop later.

Causes of urinary obstructions in children include:

Kidney stones. Kidney stones are caused by the buildup of minerals in the kidneys.
An abnormality of the point where the ureter joins the kidney.
A sagging or bulging of the ureter into the bladder, called a ureterocele.
An abnormality in which the ureter opens into an area other than the bladder. The ureter may open into the urethra or the vagina in girls or the vas deferens in boys.
Misplaced, narrowed, or widened ureters or urethra.
Posterior urethral valves in boys (congenital blockage of urethra).

Urinary obstructions disrupt normal urine flow and allow bacteria to grow in the urinary tract. This increases the risk of bladder and kidney infections.

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Author	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Primary Medical Reviewer	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Peter Anderson, MD, FRCS(C) - Pediatric Urology
Last Updated	April 30, 2007

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Last updated:	April 30, 2007
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Peter Anderson, MD, FRCS(C) - Pediatric Urology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer

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