Urology
Bladder Exstrophy
Bladder exstrophy is a rare and complex congenital birth defect that involves the urinary, reproductive, and intestinal tracts, as well as the musculoskeletal system. The abdominal wall fails to close during fetal development. The bladder is turned "inside out"—rather than forming into its normal round shape, it is flattened and exposed outside the body. The lower portion of the bladder, a funnel-shaped bladder neck, made up of muscles that open and close the bladder, fails to form correctly. In addition, the urethra and genitalia are not formed completely.
Bladder exstrophy occurs in 1 in every 40,000 births, affecting two to three times more boys than girls. NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital is one of only a few medical centers on the East Coast prepared to treat this complex and potentially devastating condition. It is critical that bladder exstrophy be diagnosed prenatally, because surgery to close the bladder must be performed in the first 24 hours of life.
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