Health Encyclopedia

Patent urachus repair

Definition

Patent urachus repair is surgery to close a defect of the bladder. The urachus is a tube that connects the bladder to the area where the umbiblical cord was attached in the womb. As the baby grows inside the womb, the urachus normally closes.

When the urachus fails to close, the tube remains open (patent). This creates an abnormal opening between the bladder and area where the umbilical cord was removed. The condition increases the risk for bladder infections and may become cancerous.

Description

While the child is unconscious and pain-free (using general anesthesia), a surgical cut is made in the lower abdomen. The urachus is found and removed from the umbilicus and the bladder. The bladder opening is repaired, and the cut is closed.

Indications

Surgery is recommended for a patent urachus that does not close after birth.

Risks

Risks for any anesthesia are:

Reactions to medications
Problems breathing

Risks for any surgery are:

Bleeding
Infection

Additional risks include:

Bladder infection
Bladder leaks -- if this happens, a catheter is inserted and left in place until the bladder heals

Expectations after surgery

The outcome is usually excellent.

Convalescence

The infant can be fed normally and should get better quickly. A few days in the hospital is all that is usually needed.

Review Date:9/7/2008
Reviewed By:David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Louis S. Liou, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Urology, Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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