Nine patients with posterior urethral valves were seen at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from 1985 to 1992. The age at presentation ranged from five days old to 28 years old. The presenting symptoms and signs included abdominal distension, urinary tract infection, respiratory distress, urinary ascites, and weak stream. Patients were examined by voiding cystourethrography and ultrasonography. Surgical management of these patients included primary valve ablation (three cases), cutaneous resicostomy plus delayed valve ablation (five cases) and primary valve ablation with delayed ureteral reimplantation (one case). For small infants with posterior urethral valves (five cases), temporary vesivostomy and delayed valve ablation offers excellent results in preventing iatrogenic urethral stricture. However, for older children and young adults, the recommended treatment is primary valve ablation. For seven patients with nadir serum creatinine