Possible maternal inheritance of a common obstructive urinary tract anomaly. Report of a case of a woman with multiple urinary tract infections and two sons with posterior urethral valves

BACKGROUND: Posterior urethral valves (PUVs) are the most common cause of lower urinary tract obstruction in boys. Several prior reports have described PUV in siblings and twins, often with a variable phenotype. CASE: PUVs were found in two brothers. The first child had developmental delay, while the second had a branchial cleft cyst and an anteriorly rotated right ear. The children's mother had a history of numerous urinary tract infections of unknown etiology. CONCLUSION: Though most cases of PUV appear to be sporadic, there are reports that suggest a partial genetic etiology, as our case suggests.