anatomy Flashcards
what parts of the urinary tract are in the abdomen (retroperitoneal)?
kidneys & proximal ureters
what parts of the urinary tract are in the pelvis?
distal ureters
bladder
proximal urethra
what part of the urinary tract is in the perineum?
distal urethra
what are the layers surrounding the kidney from deep to superficial?
renal capsule
perinephric fat
renal (deep) fascia
paranephric fat
visceral peritoneum
where are the kidneys in the body?
anterior to quadratus lumborum & lateral to psoas major
they lie lateral to the lower thoracic/upper lumbar vertebra; bodies
which kidney sits higher?
left- liver means right kidney is located inferior to left
left is at T12-L2
right is at L1-L3
what regions and quadrants are the kidneys located in?
flanks (right and left upper quadrants)
what structures is the right kidney posterior to?
the liver (& hepatorenal recess)
the (2nd part of the) duodenum
the ascending colon
right colic flexure
what structures is the left kidney posterior to?
stomach
tail of pancreas
hilum of the spleen
splenic vessels
where does lymph from the kidneys drain to?
lumbar lymph nodes
where does lymph from the ureters drain to?
lumbar and iliac nodes
how does urine drain from the kidney?
collecting duct –> minor calyx –> major calyx –> renal pelvis –> ureter
tubes widen as it progresses and then ureter is thinner
what are the 3 sites of ureteric constriction?
- pelviureteric junction
- ureter crossing anterior aspect of common iliac artery
- ureteric orifice
kidneys stones could potentially get stuck at each of these sites
what do renal calculi (stones) form from?
urine calcium salts
what is the urinary tract’s response to urteter obstruction / compression?
- increased peristalsis proximal to the site of the obstruction in an attempt to remove it (flush it into the bladder)
- as peristalsis comes in waves, a patient with a ureteric obstruction tends to experience pain that “comes and goes” (“colicky”)
what happens as a result of urine back pressure?
hydronephrosis (water in the kidney) leading to kidney failure
where does the pelvic floor lie between?
true pelvis and perineum
why are there openings in the pelvic floor?
to allow distal parts of alimentary, renal and reproductive tracts to pass through from pelvic cavity into the perineum
name a pelvic floor muscle
levator ani
describe the pathway of the ureters
The ureters pass anterior to the common iliac vessels to enter the pelvis
They run anteriorly (along the lateral walls of the pelvis)
At the level of the ischial spine, they turn medially to enter the posterior aspect of the bladder
this route is sub peritoneal
they then enter the posterior bladder wall in an inferomedial direction preventing urine reflux
what does the term ‘water under the bridge’ mean?
the ureter runs inferiorly to uterine tubes / vas deferens
what 3 structures form the trigone of the bladder?
2 ureteric orifices and the internal urethral orifice
what feature is present in only the male bladder?
around the neck of the male bladder, the detrusor muscle forms the internal urethral sphincter muscle which contracts during ejaculation to prevent retrograde ejaculation of semen back into the bladder
what are the 2 methods of catheterisation?
urethral or suprapubic
