Fetal urinoma in females without obstructive uropathy.

OBJECTIVE

Prenatal diagnosis of urinomas has long been established with underlying obstructive uropathy generally responsible for urinary extravasation. Because urinoma formation represents a pop-off mechanism in cases of posterior urethral valves, the number of affected males greatly exceeds the number of females. Fetal urinoma has rarely been reported without obstruction and in females it has only been described as a consequence of a complicated amniocentesis.

METHODS

Three cases of fetal urinoma in female fetuses without any dilatation of the urinary tract are described. Since the fetus remained healthy, they were all conservatively managed.

RESULTS

Two urinomas resolved after birth and 1 exhibited significant regression. In the second case, a compressed kidney was visualized with fetal MRI. Renal function was impaired in cases 1 and 3 and absent in case 2 (the kidney was no longer visualized).

CONCLUSIONS

Fetal urinomas can occur even in the absence of urinary tract obstruction and in a low-pressure system as is found in female fetuses. Fetal MRI may help both visualize the ipsilateral kidney and differentiate the mass from other conditions. In a healthy fetus, fetal urinomas can be conservatively managed, but renal function after birth is often absent or impaired. Whether or not in utero aspiration may be beneficial for the preservation of renal function remains unclear.