What are congenital anomalies of the urinary tract?

Also known as: congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract, CAKUT, congenital genitourinary anomalies, bladder anomalies, congenital urogenital malformations

Congenital anomalies of the urogenital tract, are a broad group of common, mild to life-threatening malformations (approx. 30% of all prenatally diagnosed malformations) of the kidney/ureters/bladder/urethra/penis/testis/and female genitalia (one or more parts) present at birth that occur during fetal development of the urinary/genital system.

They are often accompanied by other birth defects outside the kidney's/collecting system (ureters/bladder/urethra). Several are part of a “syndrome” (a collection of signs and symptoms that usually are found together); some are not (“non-syndromic”).

In young children CAKUT are a leading cause of kidney failure and renal transplantation.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

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