Incidence of urinary tract infection in neonates with antenatally diagnosed ureteroceles

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of neonatal urinary tract infection (UTI) in the presence of a ureterocele.

Patients and methods: Fifteen successive patients with antenatally detected ureteroceles were reviewed between 1991 and 1996. Sixteen ureteroceles were treated (in one patient they were bilateral). Seven ureteroceles were intravesical, and nine were ectopic. Fourteen patients had a duplex upper tract associated with a ureterocele. One patient had one duplex upper tract and one simple upper tract, both associated with a ureterocele.

Results: Of the fifteen neonates with a ureterocele, eight already had a UTI on admission. Of these, three had had prophylactic antibiotics. Of the eight infected patients, seven were symptomatic (three with septicaemia).

Conclusion: If diagnosed antenatally, obstruction has to be relieved as early as possible during the first week of life as antibiotic prophylaxis alone is not sufficient to avoid UTI in these patients. The authors point out the high frequency of UTI in patients with ureterocele.