Although exstrophy of the urinary bladder is a rare deformity, occurring once or twice in every 50,000 births, it is a comparatively frequent form of the more formidable anomalies involving the genitourinary tract. Briefly stated, bladder exstrophy consists of a congenital malformation in which, in the course of fetal development, there is a failure of union, anteriorly, between the two lateral halves of the urinary bladder and everything in front of it, including the abdominal wall, the pubic symphysis and the urethral roof. The space resulting is filled in by the posterior wall of the bladder and the urethral floor. In other words, it is a state of extreme epispadias.
The resulting condition is deplorable, "the victims being constantly wretched, offensive to themselves and their associates, and burdensome to those on whom they must depend." In addition, the male, who is affected at least three times more frequently than the