Pediatric urology is a surgical subspecialty within pediatric surgery and urology that focuses on the diagnosis and management of urinary and genital disorders in infants, children, and adolescents. This field encompasses both congenital anomalies (present at birth) and acquired conditions that affect the kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra, and genitalia.
Unlike adult urology, pediatric urology requires knowledge of developmental anatomy, growth patterns, and the psychological impact of genitourinary disorders. Pediatric urologists are trained to perform delicate surgeries in small anatomical spaces and provide long-term care to children as they grow, often requiring follow-up into adolescence or even adulthood.
The approach is family-centered and multidisciplinary, often involving pediatric nephrologists, endocrinologists, radiologists, and psychologists. Many conditions, if diagnosed and treated early, have excellent outcomes with minimal long-term complications.
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) – recurrent in children with structural issues
- Incontinence (daytime or nocturnal enuresis)
- Hydronephrosis – kidney swelling due to urine build-up
- Phimosis and paraphimosis
- Neurogenic bladder (often in spina bifida)
- Scrotal swellings – hydrocele, varicocele, hernia
- Testicular torsion
