About Vesicoureteral Reflux

Urine usually travels from the kidneys, through tubes called ureters, to the bladder. In Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) urine flows from the bladder back into the ureters. 

90% of VUR cases occur during childhood and are usually diagnosed after a urinary tract infection (UTI). About one-third of children with a UTI are found to have VUR. VUR can lead to infection because urine in the urinary tract provides a place for bacteria to grow. Sometimes a UTI itself is the cause of VUR.

Symptoms: A UTI is usually the primary symptom.  However, since the traditional UTI symptoms may be difficult to identify in infants and children, parents are directed to look for symptoms such as lack of normal growth (failure to thrive), vomiting and diarrhea, and lack of appetite and lethargy.

As your child gets older, untreated VUR can lead to other signs and symptoms, including bed-wetting, high blood pressure, and protein in urine which may lead to kidney failure.

Cause: In most cases, VUR is a congenital condition that affects two valves in the bladder. In a healthy bladder, the valves allow urine to enter the bladder from the kidneys. The urine remains in the bladder until voiding. However, with VUR the valves in the bladder do not function properly and urine can flow back into the ureters and, in some cases, reach the kidneys. In a minority of cases, VUR can follow bladder operations or neurological diseases.

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