Warning symptoms of urethral diverticulum

The urethra is a tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside. A urethral diverticulum is a pouch that forms along the length of the urethra. When urinating, urine will not be completely drained out, but it will accumulate in the diverticulum, causing the patient to feel pain, frequent infections and urinary incontinence.
Urethral diverticulum can affect a number of other parts of the body such as the vagina and pelvis. Due to the accumulation of urine and salt in the bladder, it can lead to the formation of urethral stones.
Urethral diverticulum is a common pathology, more common in women than in men. This condition can be congenital or acquired. Congenital urethral diverticulum usually originates from Gartner duct cysts and mullerian duct cysts. The cause of urethral diverticulum is thought to be related to bladder infection and blockage of the urethral gland, which weakens the walls of the urethra. In addition, during childbirth, pelvic trauma has also been identified as the cause of urethral diverticulum formation.

Urethral diverticulum has many different symptoms, and the size of the diverticulum is not related to their severity. Therefore, a urethral diverticulum may not cause any symptoms.
Some common urethral diverticulum symptoms include:
Pain when urinating Hematuria: Blood in the urine Frequent urination: Drips after urinating, oozing Recurrent cystitis Frequent infections Urinary tract Bladder infection Pain during sex Pain or a mass in the vaginal wall Pelvic pain Including some lower urinary tract symptoms, such as urgency to urinate without straining, frequently urinating, urinating more than once during the night, decreased urine flow pressure, and not being able to urinate right away

Diagnostic methods for urethral diverticulum include:
Physical examination: In women, the vaginal walls may be examined to detect underlying masses. In addition, during the examination, the doctor may also look for ways to remove pus or urine from the diverticulum. Cystoscopy: An in-office procedure that involves placing a cystoscope into the bladder to see if a urethral diverticulum exists. Ultrasound: This is the most commonly used method. This method uses sound waves to obtain an image of the pelvis. X-ray of the bladder and urinary tract during urination Double-balloon positive pressure urethrograph: This is a special diagnostic method similar to an X-ray of the bladder and urinary tract during urination, but it uses a The special type of catheter with balloon has 90% accuracy in detecting urethral diverticulum. This is an invasive diagnostic method and requires anesthesia for the patient, so it is not commonly used.

There are many methods of treating urethral diverticulum. Some surgical methods include:
Complete excision of the sac Cut into the neck of the pouch and drain the contents of the urethral sac Spence procedure, including entry from the vaginal diverticulum If infection is present, it is necessary to thoroughly treated prior to surgery.

Depending on the size and location of the urethral diverticulum to choose the appropriate surgical method. After surgery, you will likely be given antibiotics for at least 24 hours to prevent infection. The patient may also have a catheter placed and the shape of the urethra fixed for a few weeks. In addition, the doctor will instruct the patient to perform tests in the following weeks, to check wound healing and schedule an appointment to remove the catheter.
When performing any surgical procedure, there may be some side effects such as: excessive bleeding, infection, recurrence of diverticulum, urethral fistula and urethral scarring.
In a nutshell, a urethral diverticulum is a pouch or bulge of various sizes next to the urethra. Because the bulge communicates with the urethra, the diverticulum is filled with urine. There are a variety of surgical methods to treat a urethral diverticulum, depending on its size. However, after surgery can appear complications, so the patient should be closely monitored. Therefore, when there are any abnormal signs, it is necessary to immediately notify the doctor for timely intervention.
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