Obstructive urethral disease in neonates

: In the past eight years, we observed 23 cases of neonatal urethral obstruction: 15 posterior urethral valves, one urethral polyp, two urethral diverticula, one penile urethra hypoplasia, two syringoceles, one scafoid urethra, one urethral agenesis in Prune Belly syndrome. In most cases a prenatal diagnosis of uropathy had been made by ultrasonography that allowed a faster diagnosis and possibly a long-term better prognosis in those patients in which early treatment reduced postnatal damage. In all patients endoscopic resection was performed under direct view. In 14 of them endoscopic treatment solved the problem, while further surgery on the upper urinary tract was needed in the others. We had no stenotic nor other-short and medium-term complications. The incidence of renal dysplasia is high with posterior urethral valves, while upper urinary tract damages are sensibly less frequent with more distal obstructions.