Treatment:

Early surgery is recommended to fix weak abdominal muscles, urinary tract problems, and undescended testicles.

The baby may be given antibiotics to treat or help prevent urinary tract infections.

Expectations (prognosis):

Prune belly syndrome is a serious and often life-threatening problem.

Many infants with prune belly syndrome are either stillborn or die within the first few weeks of life from severe lung or kidney problems, or a combination of birth problems.

Some newborns survive but continue to have problems.

Complications:

Complications depend on the related problems. The most common are:

• Constipation
• Bone deformities (clubfoot, dislocated hip, missing limb or digit, funnel chest)
• Disease of the urinary tract (patients may need dialysis and a kidney transplant)

Undescended testicles can lead to infertility or cancer.

Calling your health care provider:

Prune belly syndrome is usually diagnosed before birth or when the baby is born.

If you have a child with diagnosed prune belly syndrome, call your health care provider at the first sign of a urinary tract infection or other urinary symptoms.

If a pregnancy ultrasound shows that your baby has a distended bladder or enlarged kidneys, talk to a specialist in high-risk pregnancy or perinatology.