Conservative Management of Vesicoureteral Reflux: A Literature Review

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is defined as the retrograde flow of urine from the bladder to the upper urinary tract (the ureters and kidneys), caused by ureterovesical junction dysfunction. VUR is the most common congenital urinary tract abnormality; nevertheless, the conservative treatment for VUR remains controversial. In addition, the limited data availability made it difficult to establish a widely accepted treatment protocol. This study aimed to review available treatment modalities and recommendations with regard to the conservative management for VUR. An online literature search was performed on PubMed, PubMed Central, and Google Scholar. Studies were compared with several available guidelines. Based on literature search, the conservative management of VUR involves a multimodality approach, including the bladder-bowel dysfunction management through bladder training, anticholinergics and alpha-blockers, continuous antibiotic prophylaxis, and circumcision in male patients. Operative and other invasive treatment modalities may be considered in treatment failure or breakthrough urinary tract infection and should not be used as a first-line treatment.