• UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine
UCLA Urology

UCLA Urology

UCLA Urology
  • About Us
    • Chair's Welcome
    • Awards and Recognition
    • Innovations and Technology
    • UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology
    • Webinars
    • Contact Us
    • News and Events
    • Newsletters
    • Our History
    • Our Milestones
    • The Men's Clinic at UCLA
    • Jobs
    • Giving
  • Clinical Programs
    • Bladder Cancer
    • General Adult Urology
    • Kidney Cancer
    • Kidney Stone Center
    • Kidney Transplant Program
    • Male Urology
    • Minimally Invasive/Robotics Surgery
    • Pediatric Urology Program
    • Pelvic Medicine and Reconstruction
    • Prostate Cancer Program
    • Testicular Cancer
    • Urologic Oncology
    • Conditions Treated
  • Clinical Trials
    • Find a Doctor
    • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • Learn More About Clinical Trials
  • For Patients
    • COVID-19 Message to Our Patients
    • Get an Expert Second Opinion
    • Telemedicine Visits Available
    • Appointment Request
    • myUCLAhealth
    • Contact Us
    • Maps and Directions
    • Clinical Updates
    • Preparing for Surgery
    • Interactive Procedure Videos
    • Patient Education
    • Patient Stories
    • Video Gallery
    • Webinars
    • Vital Signs Publications
    • UCLA Blood Donation
    • UCLA Overnight Accommodations
    • Urology Portal
  • Research
    • Bladder Cancer Research
    • Kidney Cancer Research
    • Male Urology Research
    • Pediatric Urology Research
    • Prostate Cancer Research
    • SPORE In Prostate Cancer
    • Health Services Research
    • Faculty Publications
  • Education
    • Housestaff Roster 2020-21
    • Residency
    • Fellowships
    • Medical Student Program
    • Aerial Tour: Why Choose UCLA?
  • For Healthcare Professionals
    • How to Refer a Patient
    • Physicians Updates & Clinical Updates
    • Events and CME Courses
    • eReferrals
  • Physician Directory
    • UCLA Faculty and Providers
    • Joint Appointments/Research Faculty
  • UCLA Health
  • myUCLAhealth
  • School of Medicine

UCLA Urology

Clinical Programs

Clinical Programs

Clinical Programs

  • Bladder Cancer
    • Get an Expert Second Opinion
    • Find a Doctor
    • What is Bladder Cancer
    • Symptoms
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
    • Clinical Trials
    • Educational Materials
      • Radical Cystectomy
    • Institute of Urologic Oncology
    • Videos & Patient Stories
  • General Adult Urology
    • Find a Doctor
    • Kidney Stone Center
  • Kidney Cancer
    • Get an Expert Second Opinion
    • Find a Doctor
    • What is Kidney Cancer
    • Symptoms & Risk Factors
    • Diagnosis
    • Types of Kidney Cancer
    • Treatment
    • Clinical Trials
    • Why Choose UCLA
    • Institute of Urologic Oncology
    • Webinars Videos & Patient Stories
  • Kidney Stone Center
    • Get an Expert Second Opinion
    • Find a Doctor
    • Kidney Stone Symptoms & Diagnosis
    • Kidney Stone Treatment & Prevention
  • Kidney Transplant Program
    • Get an Expert Second Opinion
    • Find a Doctor
    • Clinical Trials
    • Overview
    • Kidney Transplant News
  • Male Urology
    • Find a Doctor
    • HoLep for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
    • UroLift for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
  • Minimally Invasive/Robotics Surgery
    • Overview
    • Find a Doctor
  • Pediatric Urology Program
    • Get an Expert Second Opinion
    • Overview
    • Find a Doctor
    • Clinical Trials
    • Selecting a Pediatric Urologist
  • Pelvic Medicine and Reconstruction
  • Prostate Cancer Program
  • Testicular Cancer
    • Find a Doctor
    • How to Do a Testicular Self-Exam
    • Symptoms
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
    • Clinical Trials
    • Institute of Urologic Oncology
    • Webinars Videos & Patient Stories
  • Urologic Oncology
    • Find a Doctor
    • Bladder Cancer Program
    • Kidney Cancer Program
    • Prostate Cancer Program
    • Testicular Cancer Program
  • Conditions Treated
    • Alphabetical List of Conditions
    • Adult Conditions
    • Cancer Conditions
    • Female Conditions
    • Male Conditions
    • Pediatric Conditions
  • Bladder Cancer
  • General Adult Urology
  • Kidney Cancer
  • Kidney Stone Center
  • Kidney Transplant Program
  • Male Urology
  • Minimally Invasive/Robotics Surgery
  • Pediatric Urology Program
  • Pelvic Medicine and Reconstruction
  • Prostate Cancer Program
  • Testicular Cancer
  • Urologic Oncology
  • Conditions Treated
  • Alphabetical List of Conditions
  • Adult Conditions
  • Cancer Conditions
  • Female Conditions
  • Male Conditions
  • Pediatric Conditions
  1. Home
  2. Clinical Programs
  3. Conditions Treated

Conditions Treated

Share this

Vesicoureteral Reflux

What is Vesicoureteral Reflux?

Overview. Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) occurs when urine stored in the bladder flows back up into the ureters (the tubes that carry urine down from the kidneys to the bladder), and often back up into the kidneys. This can cause hydronephrosis (swelling of the kidney) and kidney damage. It is particularly common in children, usually caused by a congenital abnormality and often diagnosed during a prenatal ultrasound or when the infant or child has a urinary tract infection (UTI). VUR is discovered in approximately one in three children diagnosed with a UTI. When not treated through either antibiotic therapy or, when necessary, surgery, VUR can allow bacteria that grow in urine to enter the kidneys, which can lead to kidney infection, kidney damage, and chronic kidney failure.

Types. In a normal urinary tract, the kidneys filter waste products from the bloodstream and produce urine, which drains down the ureters to the bladder to be stored until it is emptied from the body through the urethra. As the ureter makes a tunnel through the bladder wall, a “flap valve” is created to prevent urine in the bladder from backing up and returning to the ureter. In VUR, the flap valve at the junction of the ureter and the bladder is abnormal, causing some of the urine to go back up.

In cases of primary VUR, the child is born with a faulty valve – usually either because the ureter is too short for the valve to close properly, or because the ureter is inserted abnormally into the bladder. Often, the reflux will resolve itself as the child grows, though sometimes intervention is necessary. In secondary VUR, a UTI or obstruction somewhere in the urinary tract is responsible.

Symptoms. UTI is the most common symptom of VUR, particularly in young children. For older children, symptoms can include nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting) or other urinary problems, high blood pressure, hydronephrosis, an abdominal mass from the swollen kidney, protein in the urine, and kidney failure.

Diagnosis. The two most common diagnostic tests for VUR are a voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG), which examines the urinary tract through X-ray images as the bladder fills and empties; and a renal ultrasound, which produces sound waves to transmit a picture of the kidney and bladder that can reveal abnormalities. Based on these tests, the severity of the reflux is graded, with grade 1 being the most mild and grade 5 being the most severe. Higher-grade reflux is less likely to get better without treatment.

Treatment. Children who are expected to outgrow their reflux are followed closely and monitored with VCUG, renal ultrasound, and other tests. Even when surgery isn’t required, antibiotics are needed to prevent or immediately treat infections in order to ensure that there is no kidney damage. When the reflux is severe enough that infection can’t be controlled by antibiotics, surgery may be needed. The surgical approach usually involves either severing and then reattaching the ureter to the bladder to make a longer tunnel or create a new angle, or using a bulking agent (inserted through a telescope) to strengthen the flap valve.



Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest
UCLA Health hospitals ranked best hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
  • UCLA Health
  • Find a Doctor
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Nursing
  • UCLA Campus
  • Directory
  • Newsroom
  • Subscribe
  • Patient Stories
  • Giving
  • Careers
  • Volunteer
  • International Services
  • Privacy Practices
  • Nondiscrimination
  • Billing
  • Health Plans
  • Emergency
  • Report Broken Links
  • Terms of Use
  • 1-310-825-2631
  • Maps & Directions
  • Contact Us
  • Your Feedback
  • Report Misconduct
  • Get Social
  • Sitemap
Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube Follow us on Instagram Connect with Us on LinkedIn Follow us on Pinterest