What other abnormalities are associated with bladder exstrophy?
• Epispadias: In boys, the urethra (the tube through which urine is funneled out of the body from the bladder) has not formed completely, and it may be extremely short and split. Because of this, it opens on the upper surface rather than on the end of the penis. The split may be small or involve the entire length of the penis. In the later case, the penis will be flat and short looking like a small shovel. In girls, the urethral opening is located between a split clitoris and labia minora. • Dorsal chordee: This means that the penis is pulled up against the abdomen with a slight downward curve. This is caused by a shorter than normal tendon in the upper part of the penis. • Absence of a bladder neck and sphincter: The bladder neck is the funnel shaped lower portion of the bladder which contains the ring of muscles that open and close the bladder outlet. It is this muscle ring (sphincter) which makes it possible to achieve bladder control or continence. When it is absent there is no abi
