[The urethra in congenital aplasia of the abdominal wall. Concerning 15 cases (author's transl)].

The authors have collected in 13 years, 15 cases of congenital aplasia of the abdominal wall. All of the patients had involvement of the urinary apparatus of varying degree of severity, megalo-ureter, megabladder and dilatation of the posterior urethra being the most constant lesions. Twelve patients with renal failure, benefited from reparatory surgery of the excretory pathway. Eleven patients had complete or incomplete retention: in 5 cases there was a urethral valve. In 6 cases the megalo-urethra was apparently idiopathic. In all of these cases, endoscopic treatment was carried out, constituted either of resection of valves, or internal urethro-sphincterotomy using a cutting electrode: 9 times, the result obtained was excellent. One patient was improved; in one case the result could not be assessed. For the authors, obstructive urethral pathology is a frequently unrecognized or badly understood fact. It is accessible to endoscopic treatment, which must precede or accompany correction of the ureteral abnormalities.