Poor urinary stream in 3 years old boy suggests urinary tract obstruction (usually intravesical) and the most common cause of obstructive uropathy in a male child is posterior urethral valve. Posterior urethral valve These are symmetrical folds of urothelium extending distally from prostatic urethra to external urinary sphincter. It most commonly lies just distal to the verumontanum or at the verumontanum* It occurs only in males. It behaves as flap valves so, although urine does not flow normally a urethral catheter can be passed without difficulty. Sometimes, the valves are incomplete and the patient remains without symptoms until adolescence or adulthood. Approximately 30% of patients experience end stage renal disease Vesicoureteral reflux occurs in 50% of patients. Diagnosis is made by voiding cystourethrogram* & endoscopy Both of these investigations clearly depict the site of obstruction. The diagnosis can be established prenatally by ultrasound.* Management First, a small polyethene feeding tube is inseed in the bladder and left for several days. Then fuher management is done according to serum creatinine level. with normal serum creatinine - transurethral ablation of the valve leaflets. * With increased serum creatinine and the worsening of condition - vesicostomy to bypass the obstruction and when normal creatinine levels are achieved, transurethral ablation is done. Ref : Bailey & Love 25/e 1362