Children and families |
Vesico-ureteric refluxThis leaflet explains about the vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR), and what to expect if your child comes to Great Ormond Street Hospital for assessment and treatment. Contents
How does the urinary system work?
The ureters tunnel through the wall of the bladder at an angle to form a flap that acts as a valve. There is also a ring of muscle (sphincter) at the junction of the bladder and the urethra that stops urine leaking out in between pees. When peeing, the muscles of the bladder wall squeeze the urine out of the bladder, at the same time as the muscles in the sphincter need to relax to let the urine flow down the urethra. The valves between the ureters and bladder prevent urine flowing backwards into the ureters, so that all the urine in the bladder is passed in one go, as the urine cannot travel anywhere else. As the urine leaves the bladder at a high pressure, the valves stop this high pressure being passed on to the kidneys. What is vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR)?Vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR) occurs when the valve between the ureters and the bladder is not working properly, allowing urine to flow backwards into the ureters. Depending on the severity of the VUR, sometimes the urine can flow backwards as far as the kidneys. If infected urine flows into the kidneys, this can damage them. What are the symptoms of VUR?Sometimes VUR can be diagnosed before birth when an ultrasound scan shows that one or both of a baby’s kidneys look swollen and larger than usual (hydronephrosis). VUR is one of the conditions that cause hydronephrosis. For more information, please see our Hydronephrosis leaflet. When VUR is diagnosed after birth, it is usually suspected if a child has repeated urine infections. Symptoms of a urine infection can include: burning sensation during urination, urinating more often than usual, abdominal pain, a high temperature, vomiting, reduced appetite or foul smelling urine. If a child has VUR, urine infections can damage the kidneys, as the urine flowing backwards towards them contains bacteria. Kidney damage can cause high blood pressure in later life or if untreated, may lead to kidney failure. How is VUR diagnosed?VUR is diagnosed and monitored using two particular scans:
The VCUG test is also used to ‘grade’ the degree of reflux, according to its severity; grade 1 is the least severe form of VUR, where urine is flowing back up the ureters but is not reaching the kidneys and grade 5 is the most severe, where a great deal of urine is reaching the kidneys, making the ureter and kidney swollen. VUR is also described as ‘unilateral’ or ‘bilateral’ depending on whether one kidney (unilateral) is affected or both (bilateral). What causes VUR?In many children, the tunnel through the bladder wall is not long enough, so the valve does not work properly, but this can improve as the child grows. In some children, the ureters enter the bladder in a higher position than normal, which also means that the valve does not work properly; this is less likely to improve as the child grows. Other children, particularly boys, may have a blockage in the urethra (posterior urethral valves) causing VUR; for more information, please see our Posterior urethral valves leaflet. How common is VUR?VUR occurs in about one in every 100 children. It is ten times more common in white children than black children, and is also a lot more common in girls than in boys. If one child in a family has VUR, there is a chance that the other children could have VUR too, so monitoring might be suggested for brothers and sisters. VUR is usually diagnosed in under fives; it is much less common in older children, who may have outgrown the problem. How can VUR be treated?At Great Ormond Street Hospital, we aim to treat VUR using medicines at first. Usually, a low dose of antibiotics is given on a long-term basis, often until the child is five years old or more. This prevents urinary tract infections, which in turn, prevents any damage to the kidney caused by infected urine flowing backwards into them. Treatment with antibiotics gives many children the opportunity to outgrow VUR. Children with VUR who are taking antibiotics will often need to give regular urine samples, to be checked for any urine infections, particularly at an early stage. If you suspect that your child has a urine infection, please ring your GP to have a urine sample tested. Ultrasound scans are often used to check that the kidneys are growing properly. Children who continue to have urinary tract infections despite the antibiotics, or still have severe reflux after the age of five years old might need an operation to correct the problem causing VUR. In this operation, called ureteric reimplantation, the ureters are disconnected from the bladder and re-attached at an angle to create a valve. For more information about the operation, please see our Ureteric reimplantation leaflet. What is the outlook for children with VUR?The initial results of the biopsy are usually available within a couple of days, but more complicated tests can take longer. All the biopsy results will be given to you at your child’s next outpatient appointment, but if there is a need to change your child’s treatment before this time, you will be contacted directly by a member of the metabolic medical team or via your GP. Support groups: There is no support group for children with VUR, but the following organisation may be able to put you in touch with another family with a child with VUR: If you have any questions about vesico-ureteric reflux (VUR), Ref: F050192 © GOSH Trust July 2005 This page was last updated on 12 August, 2008 |
UCL Institute of Child Health
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust
The urinary system consists of the kidneys, the bladder and ureters. The kidneys filter the blood to remove waste products and form urine. The urine flows from the kidneys down through the ureters to the bladder. 
