Fistulas of the lower urinary tract in children

A lower urinary tract fistula consist in an abnormal connection between bladder, urethra and adjacent abdominal organs or skin. There are several types of urinary fistulas in paediatric age and they may be congenital or acquired. Etiology may be due to embriological defects, infectious processes, malignant tumours, pelvic irradiation as well as complications following surgical procedures, expecially postsurgical repair of hypospadia or epispadia. Clinical presentation depends on the type of fistula and diagnosis is based on signs, symptoms and radiological or endoscopic examinations.

We performed PubMed research using terms such as lower urinary fistulae, urology and paediatrics and we consulted medical texts. We reviewed selected articles and used the relevant ones to perform our study concentrating on classification, diagnosis and treatment of different types of fistulas.

Paediatric lower urinary fistulas are an uncommon pathology, but the knowledge of their etiology and classification is important to recognise them and lead the physician to an appropriate treatment, which is surgical in most cases.