Vesicoureteral Reflux

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is a condition in which urine backs up from the bladder into the ureters, the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. In severe cases, this congenital condition causes urine to back up into the kidneys.

Vesicoureteral reflux is twice as common in girls as boys and may occur in one or both ureters. The condition is caused when the tunnel created by the ureter entering the bladder is not long enough and the mechanisms that control urine flow into the bladder don't work properly. In about 20 percent of these cases, the condition corrects itself as the child grows and the ureter grows longer.

Serious reflux, if left untreated, can result in urinary tract infections that lead to permanent kidney damage and loss of function. Treatment may include putting the child on antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent infection, behavioral modification, open surgery or a less invasive endoscopic procedure. If using antibiotics to prevent infection doesn't work, surgery may be necessary.

The UCSF Vesicoureteral Reflux Center, part of the Pediatric Urology clinic, collaborates with families on their child's management plan and care. We can address parents' concerns about prolonged antibiotics, diagnostic procedures or surgery, and can adapt your child's management plan to these concerns.

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Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated January 12, 2009