Vesicoureteral Reflux Program

Treatment and care

At Children's Hospital Boston, our main goal for treating VUR is to prevent infections that might affect the kidney and possibly cause kidney damage. The Department of Urology provides a comprehensive approach to the management of vesicoureteral reflux from initial diagnosis to treatment and follow-up care.

Most commonly, we will treat your child two ways:

1. Observation on prophylactic antibiotics for varying periods of time.
2. Although the majority of reflux will get better on its own, surgery is performed to correct the reflux if:

• The grade level is high
• There is kidney damage
• Break through urinary tract infections occur, while on antibiotics
• Antibiotics for a particular child are not recommended

Innovative treatments

Minimally invasive surgery, such as laproscopic and endoscopic surgeries, are available at Children's. The Department of Urology has been instrumental in developing cutting-edge minimally invasive urological pediatric surgeries (See Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery).

Children's welcomes the da Vinci Si HD

Recently, Children's became the first pediatric hospital in the world to acquire the fourth generation da Vinci Si HD System. From dual consoles to hi-def visualization, the features of the Si do more than astound... they improve one of the most powerful technologies available to surgeons. Click here to learn more, or view the overview video from the system's manufacturer, Intuitive Surgical.

In 2001, Children's was the first pediatric hospital to acquire a surgical robot. Today, surgeons use the technology for many procedures and perform more pediatric robotic surgeries than any other hospital in the world. Children's physicians have developed a number of new applications for the robot, and train surgeons from around the world on its use.