HIGH RATE OF URINARY TRACT INFECTION FOLLOWING CLITORECTOMY IN GIRLS WITH CONGENITAL ADRENAL HYPERPLASIA (CAH)

Abstract

Clitorectomized girls with CAH were noticed to develop more frequently urinary tract infections than normal female children. The bladder urine of 39 female patients with CAH was examined. 9 of these patients (23%) suffered from a chronic-recurrent infection of the urinary tract. In 19 cases a total amputation of the clitoris had been performed. The incidence of infections was high in this group: 3 developed an acute infection and 7 (37%) were found to have a chronic-recurrent urinary tract infection. In 3 of them the infection was discovered before the operation already and continued to exist afterwards. This high rate of urinary tract infection in CAH girls indicates an elevated disposition probably due to the CAH itself and to the steroid therapy, or to the changed anatomic situation by the amputation of the clitoris, An intensive examination of the urinary tract in patients with CAH seems to be necessary.