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Citation:
Morgan M, Niknejad M, Knipe H, et al. Urethral duplication. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 01 Dec 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-41986
Urethral duplication is a rare condition in which either a part of the entire urethra is duplicated. It usually occurs in the sagittal plane, and the more dorsal copy is usually the duplication.
Urethral duplications may occur due to a variety of developmental anomalies. In females, it is thought to arise from delayed fusion of the Mullerian ducts and urogenital sinus 2.
The Effman classification is the most used system to distinguish the several types of urethral duplication in males.
Retrograde urethrography and voiding cystourethrography are considered the main diagnostic procedures, and they can visualize the size, shape and position of the two channels ref.
The diagnosis can also be made by ultrasound and/or MRI. In females, MRI may be the better modality with two high signal-intensity central spots may be apparent on an axial view of the pelvis in the region of the urethra ref. MRI can additionally characterize the periurethral tissues and any associated genitourinary abnormalities.
Treatment and prognosis
A small retrospective study has found the use of both buccal and urinary bladder mucosa for urethral repair have good results and that Y-type urethral duplication is most difficult to repair surgically 5.
In a male, hypospadias can be considered (glanular dimple not patent).
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1. Onofre L, Gomes A, Leão J, Leão F, Cruz T, Carnevale J. Urethral Duplication--A Wide Spectrum of Anomalies. J Pediatr Urol. 2013;9(6 Pt B):1064-71. doi:10.1016/j.jpurol.2013.03.006 - Pubmed
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2. Siegelman E, Banner M, Ramchandani P, Schnall M. Multicoil MR Imaging of Symptomatic Female Urethral and Periurethral Disease. Radiographics. 1997;17(2):349-65. doi:10.1148/radiographics.17.2.9084077 - Pubmed
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3. Coleman R, Winkle D, Borzi P. Urethral Duplication: Cases of Ventral and Dorsal Complete Duplication and Review of the Literature. J Pediatr Urol. 2010;6(2):188-91. doi:10.1016/j.jpurol.2009.07.006 - Pubmed
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4. AbouZeid A, Safoury H, Mohammad S et al. The Double Urethra: Revisiting the Surgical Classification. Ther Adv Urol. 2015;7(2):76-84. doi:10.1177/1756287214561760 - Pubmed
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5. Wani S, Munianjana N, Jadhav V, Ramesh S, Gowrishankar B, Deepak J. Urethral Duplication in Children: Experience of Twenty Cases. J Indian Assoc Pediatr Surg. 2019;24(4):275-80. doi:10.4103/jiaps.JIAPS_164_18 - Pubmed
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6. Bhadury S, Parashari U, Singh R, Kohli N. MRI in Congenital Duplication of Urethra. Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging. 2009;19(03):232-4. doi:10.4103/0971-3026.54884 - Pubmed
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7. Guglielmetti L, Delcont M, Walker J, Wilcox D, Vuille-dit-Bille R. Urethral Duplication—Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment in a Case Series of 19 Patients. J Pediatr Urol. 2020;16(3):385.e1-9. doi:10.1016/j.jpurol.2020.02.010 - Pubmed
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