Anterior urethral valves and diverticula.

Obstructive lesions of the anterior urethra (valves, diverticula) are rare and can be difficult to diagnose. One recent case led us to review existing international reports; there are case histories for 260 patients over a 20-year period. The anatomical interpretation of these lesions is far from being unequivocal but many authors clearly distinguish between valves and diverticula, the basic difference being in the contiguity between the anomaly and the corpus spongiosum. Where the clinical presentation depends on age, the diagnosis depends essentially on voiding cysto-urethrography, which must image the whole urethra. Generally, the treatment for valves is simple, consisting of endoscopic resection. For diverticula it is not always necessary or desirable to remove the diverticulum; if there is a well-formed distal obstructing lip, removing it may be enough to cure the obstruction.