Ektopic ureter - a not considered cause of persisting enuresis in girls

Background: Ectopic ureter - especially in a duplicated collecting renal system - is a specific cause of incontinence in young girls. Although the symptom of continuous dribbling of urine is characteristic for this malformation, diagnosis is often delayed, as the possibility of ectopic ureters is not considered in treating girls with delayed toilet training. Case report: We present the case of a young girl with a variety of unnecessary invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures due to a misunderstood "enuresis", before incontinence was cured by upper pole heminephrectomy. Conclusions: Girls, who never have been dry and who loose urine all the time do have an ectopic ureter, unless evidence to the contrary has been put forward. Only considering the possibility of ectopic ureters will avoid unnecessary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in these girls.