Abstract
During the period 1975 to 1990, 31 patients with urachal remnants were treated at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. The majority presented with an “umbilical discharge” or “omphalitis". Urinary discharge was observed in 9 patients. Although 2 of these had complex associated anomalies, none had posterior urethral valves or other causes of distal urinary tract obstruction, a previously considered cause of patency of the urachus. All 31 children have done well following surgery, with no ongoing problems from their urachal remnants and no evidence of distal urinary tract obstruction. The importance of the previously-described association is questioned.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anvi EF, Matos C, Van Regemorter G, Goolnerts JP, Diard F (1987) Symptomatic patent urachus in children: the contribution of ultrasound. Ann Radiol 30: 482–485
Begg RC (1930) The urachus: its anatomy, histology and development. J Anat 64: 170–183
Blickert-Toft M, Koch F, Nielsen OV (1973) Anatomic variants of the urachus related to clinical appearance and surgical treatment of urachal lesions. Surg Gynecol Obstet 137: 51–54
Campbell K, Beasley SW, McMullin N, Hutson JM (1986) Clinical diagnosis of umbilical swellings and discharges in children. Med J Aust 145: 450–453
Frank H Jr (1961) Surgical disorders of the bladder and umbilicus of urachal origin. Surg Gynecol Obstet 112: 605–614
Hutson JM (1992) The umbilicus. In: Hutson JM, Beasley SW, Woodward AA (eds) Jones' Clinical Paediatric Surgery: Diagnosis and Management. Blackwell, Melbourne, p 114
Liu KW, Fitzgerald RJ (1988) An unusual case of complete urethral duplication in a female child. Aust NZ J Surg 58: 587–588
Nagasaki A, Sumitomo K, Iwanaga M, Ohgami H, Suita S, Yakabe S (1991) Remnants of urachus in infants and children — the problems of diagnosis and treatment. Jpn J Surg 21: 167–171
Nix JT, Menville JG, Albert M, Wendt DL (1958) Congenital patent urachus. J Urol 79: 264–273
Schreck WR, Campbell WA III (1972) The relation of bladder outlet obstruction to urinary-umbilical fistula. J Urol 108: 641–643
Streck WD, Helwig EB (1965) Umbilical granulomas, pilonidal disease and the urachus. Surg Gynecol Obstet 120: 1043–1057
Trimingham HL, McDonald JR (1945) Congenital anomalies in the region of the umbilicus. Surg Gynecol Obstet 80: 152–163
Walton JM, Gillis DA, Giacomantonio JM, Hayashi AH, Lau HY (1991) Emergency separation of conjoined twins. J Pediatr Surg 26: 1337–1340
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kalidasan, V., Ekert, P. & Beasley, S.W. Associations of urachal abnormalities: Does patency of the urachus occur because of distal urinary tract obstruction?. Pediatr Surg Int 9, 381–382 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01686007
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01686007