What are bladder exstrophy and epispadias?

Also known as: ectopia vesicae

Bladder exstrophy is a complex congenital (before birth) defect that develops in which the bladder is inside out and lies exposed on the outside of the abdomen. The disorder also usually involves abnormalities of the urinary tract, skeletal muscles and bones, and the intestinal system.

Epispadias, usually seen with exstrophy of the bladder, is a defect in which the urethral opening (the tube that drains urine from the bladder to the outside) is found either on the top side of the penis (in boys) or in girls, is larger than normal and placed closer to the bladder. These defects frequently occur together.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM