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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Common Pediatric Urology Problems in Children

Pediatric Male Urology
Many common pediatric urology problems are unique to boys. Urologic problems that are unique to males include hypospadias, undescended testicles, and structural problems with the penis.
The goal during treatment should be to give your child a functional penis that also looks normal. Surgery may often be able to be done as an outpatient, which can minimize your child's trauma and confusion.
Hypospadias is a congenital condition where the opening to the urethra is in the wrong place in your son's penis. This is a very common birth defect and happens in one out of every 150 males born.
Undescended testicles happen when a male's testicles are not exposed outside the body as expected. This can happen most often if the baby is born premature. About 3 to 4 percent of newborn males have undescended testicles.
Pediatric Clinical Urology
Many problems can be treated in a clinical setting and don't require surgery. These problems can include wetting the bed, frequent urinary track infections, and problems staying "dry" during the day. The treatment available depends on your child's disorder and the severity of the problem.
Pediatric Operative Urology
A newer method appropriate for many disorders and procedures is pediatric laparoscopic surgery. This type of operative procedure is minimally invasive. The surgery utilizes small telescopes, special tools, and very small incisions. There are many benefits to using laparoscopic surgery where appropriate instead of conventional surgery. These advantages include having less pain for your child and less scar tissue.
Laparoscopic surgery can be a good option for:
" Nephrectomy - Involves removing one or both of your child's kidneys. In this procedure, the surgeon will go in through one or two small incisions and remove the kidneys.
" Pyeloplasty - Procedure that reconstructs part of the renal pelvis to correct a blockage. The surgery usually takes a few hours, and the length of time in the hospital depends on the age of the child.
Surgical options can help treat hypospadias and other problems that are unique to males.
As previously mentioned, hypospadias is a birth defect involving the penis. If an initial surgery did not help your child, you may wish to consider getting a second opinion and having a second surgery. Some medical centers are skilled at doing additional surgeries to correct a failed previous attempt.
Orchiopexy is a treatment to help with undescended testicles. Surgery for this involves finding the undescended testicles and bringing it down into the scrotum.
Operative pediatric urology services also are options for children who have bladder and urinary disorders that do not get better through clinical services alone. Your child may have a bladder disorder because of an injury or a congenital defect. Spina bifida, a congenital defect that affects your child's spinal cord and cover, can cause bladder problems.
Exostrophy is a condition where your child's bladder is inside out. This is a congenital problem that happened while they were still in their mothers' wombs.
Using appropriate clinical, operative, or outpatient surgical procedures can help solve common pediatric urology problems in children, help them have better control of his or her urinary system and help improve quality of life for the entire family.
Debra Donahue is a 20 year nurse and freelance medical writer who hails from Dallas, Texas. She has written for some of the top pediatric hospitals in the world. To learn more about pediatric male urology by visiting Children's Medical Center's operative and clinical pediatric urology page.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debra_Donahue

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