Management of Bladder Diverticula in the Pediatric Population

Bladder diverticula represent protrusion of the urothelial mucosa through the bladder muscular layers and may be either congenital or acquired. Congenital bladder diverticula are usually located adjacent to the ureteral orifices and often are associated with vesicoureteral reflux. Acquired bladder diverticula are usually multiple in nature and are secondary to bladder outlet obstruction or neurogenic bladder. When bladder diverticula are small and do not cause symptoms, non-surgical observation is an acceptable management strategy. The absolute need for surgical intervention of bladder diverticula remains a controversial topic, where current surgical indications for bladder diverticula include diverticula larger than 3 cm, recurrent urinary tract infections, associated severe vesicoureteral reflux, voiding dysfunction, urinary retention, bladder stones, and lower urinary tract symptoms that are persistent after conservative treatment. Open surgical repair has traditionally been the primary treatment choice for bladder diverticula. However, recent advancements in laparoscopic and robotic technology have led to minimally invasive surgical treatment options as alternatives to open surgery with similar success rates, but with reduced morbidity, decreased hospital stay lengths, reduced pain medication requirements, and improved cosmesis.