Protrusion of the posterior bladder wall through a defect in the lower abdominal wall and anterior wall of the urinary bladder is called what?

• A. Bladder Exstrophy
• B. Bladder Outlet Obstruction
• C. Oligohydramnios
• D. Hydrocephalus

Answer: (A)

Bladder exstrophy is a congenital condition in which the bladder wall, particularly the posterior aspect, herniates through a defect in the lower abdominal wall and the anterior bladder wall, leaving the bladder mucosa exposed on the abdominal surface. This results from failure of the tissues that form the front bladder and lower abdominal wall to fuse properly during early development. In infants, you’d expect to see an exposed bladder lining on the lower abdomen and often accompanying genital anomalies such as epispadias.

This is different from bladder outlet obstruction, which involves a blockage at the bladder neck or urethra leading to a distended bladder and possible hydronephrosis, not a protrusion of the bladder through the abdominal wall. Oligohydramnios is simply a condition of reduced amniotic fluid, usually reflecting decreased fetal urine production or other factors, and not about bladder positioning. Hydrocephalus involves accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, unrelated to the bladder.