The primary treatment for urethral diverticulum is surgical. The surgery is conducted transvaginally, usually when there is no acute inflammation to better aid dissection of the delicate tissues.

Left untreated, urethral diverticulum can cause significant morbidity (sickness).

During surgery, there is a risk for complications due to the highly vascular nature of the tissue. The urethral sphincters and its smooth muscle, as well as the neck of the bladder, can be injured regardless of the surgical approach. Other complications from surgery can include urinary incontinence, stress incontinence, a urethrovaginal fistula, or recurrent diverticula. Horseshoe-shaped diverticula and diverticula that completely surround the urethra are both associated with worse outcomes, as are those located close to the bladder, and large (over 3–4 cm) diverticula.

Definitive causes of ureterocele have not been found. While the abnormal growth occurs within the uterus, it has not been substantiated that genetics are to blame.

Many other complications arise from ureteroceles. Redundant collection systems are usually smaller in diameter than single, and predispose the patient to impassable kidney stones. The effective "bladder within a bladder" compounds this problem by increasing the collision of uric acid particles, the process by which uric acid stones are formed. Ureterocele is also associated with poor kidney function. It can cause frequent blockage of the ureter leading to serious kidney damage. In other cases, a small, upper portion of the kidney is congenitally non-functional. Though often benign, this problem can necessitate the removal of non-functioning parts.

Duplicated ureter or Duplex Collecting System is a congenital condition in which the ureteric bud, the embryological origin of the ureter, splits (or arises twice), resulting in two ureters draining a single kidney. It is the most common renal abnormality, occurring in approximately 1% of the population. The additional ureter may result in a ureterocele, or an ectopic ureter.

Ureteral development begins in the human fetus around the 4th week of embryonic development. A ureteric bud, arising from the mesonephric (or Wolffian) duct, gives rise to the ureter, as well as other parts of the collective system. In the case of a duplicated ureter, the ureteric bud either splits or arises twice. In most cases, the kidney is divided into two parts, an upper and lower lobe, with some overlap due to intermingling of collecting tubules. However, in some cases the division is so complete as to give rise to two separate parts, each with its own renal pelvis and ureter.

Michelin tire baby syndrome (also known as "Folded skin with scarring"), is characterized by multiple, symmetric, circular skin creases, or bands, on the forearms, lower legs, and often the neck that are present at birth. The creases disappear later in life. But it is a dangerous skin disease as it resides in the body rest of life, it can lead to death. They are reminiscent of those of Bibendum, the mascot of the tire manufacturer, Michelin, hence the name of the syndrome. Associated abnormalities vary and may include facial dysmorphism, upslanting palpebral fissures, hypertelorism, cleft palate, genital anomalies, mild developmental delay, ureterocele, smooth muscle hamartoma, nevus lipomatosus, Laron syndrome (dwarfism with high growth hormone and low somatomedin activity), and other defects.

It was originally described by Ross in 1969.

Twenty cases of this disorder have been reported.