Urethral Diverticulum
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Urethral Diverticulum
A urethral diverticulum (UD) is a rare condition where an unwanted pocket or sac forms along the urethra, the tube that carries urine (pee) out of the body. UD most often occurs in women; symptoms can include pain, frequent urinary tract infections, blood in urine and incontinence.
No, it’s relatively uncommon, although it’s diagnosed more often today. Now doctors have better imaging techniques available to explore the problem when patients report pain in this part of the body.
UDs are seen most often in women between the ages of 30 and 60.
Many women with a UD feel discomfort in their pelvic area from the mass. They also may have:
- Frequent urinary tract infections.
- Dribbling of urine after they urinate.
- Pain on urination.
- A frequent urgent need to urinate.
- Blood in their urine.
- Pain during sexual intercourse.
Importantly, symptoms may come and go. About 20% of patients with a UD do not report having any symptoms at all.
Surgery is often the best way to treat a UD, although it may not be the right choice for everyone. Some women prefer to wait and see if the UD gets bigger, or if their symptoms get worse, before deciding to have surgery. For those women, having regular follow-up visits to monitor their condition is very important.