Anatomy of the Urinary Tract

Question 1

How do the ureters enter the bladder?

Answer 1

In an inferomedial direction obliquely through the wall

Question 2

What causes the one-way flap valve from the ureters to the bladder?

Answer 2

The bladder muscular wall as the ureters pass into the bladder

Question 3

Major differences in male and female urethra:

Answer 3

Male: external and internal sphincter, longer
Female: external sphincter, shorter

Question 4

What are the three parts of the male urethra?

Answer 4

1. ) Prostatic
2. ) Intermediate (membranous sphincter; external sphincter)
3. ) Penile

Question 5

What does the posterior aspect of the male bladder rest on?

Answer 5

The rectum

Question 6

What makes it difficult to catheterize male patients?

Answer 6

Males have two 90 degree bends in the urethra

Question 7

What are para-urethral glands in females?

Answer 7

Glands that secrete low pH inhibiting growth of bacteria

Question 8

Why do calculi (kidney stones) in the ureters transmit pain sensation to referred areas of the body only?

Answer 8

They do not have sensory nerves only autonomics sending AP into the visceral afferents

Question 9

Parasympathetic branches to ureter:

Answer 9

S2-S4

Question 10

Sympathetic fibers to the ureter:

Answer 10

T10-L2

Question 11

What is the utricle?

Answer 11

A blind sac found in the middle of the prostate between two ejaculatory ducts

Question 12

What is different about the trigone than the rest of the bladder?

Answer 12

It does not have transitional epithelium (therefore does not phagocytize like the bladder transitional epithelium); very sensitive to stretch

Question 13

Where does the empty bladder lie entirely?

Answer 13

Within the true pelvis (not above the pubic symphysis at all)