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The urethra is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the urinary meatus for the removal of urine from the body of both females and males. In human females and other primates, the urethra connects to the urinary meatus above the vagina, whereas in marsupials, the female's urethra empties into the urogenital sinus.
The prostate is both an accessory gland of the male reproductive system and a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation. It is found in all male mammals. It differs between species anatomically, chemically, and physiologically. Anatomically, the prostate is found below the bladder, with the urethra passing through it. It is described in gross anatomy as consisting of lobes and in microanatomy by zone. It is surrounded by an elastic, fibromuscular capsule and contains glandular tissue, as well as connective tissue.
Cystoscopy is endoscopy of the urinary bladder via the urethra. It is carried out with a cystoscope.
Urinary incontinence (UI), also known as involuntary urination, is any uncontrolled leakage of urine. It is a common and distressing problem, which may have a large impact on quality of life. It has been identified as an important issue in geriatric health care. The term enuresis is often used to refer to urinary incontinence primarily in children, such as nocturnal enuresis. UI is an example of a stigmatized medical condition, which creates barriers to successful management and makes the problem worse. People may be too embarrassed to seek medical help, and attempt to self-manage the symptom in secrecy from others.
In urinary catheterization, a latex, polyurethane, or silicone tube known as a urinary catheter is inserted into the bladder through the urethra to allow urine to drain from the bladder for collection. It may also be used to inject liquids used for treatment or diagnosis of bladder conditions. A clinician, often a nurse, usually performs the procedure, but self-catheterization is also possible. A catheter may be in place for long periods of time or removed after each use.
A urethral stricture is a narrowing of the urethra, the tube connected to the bladder that allows the passing of urine. The narrowing reduces the flow of urine and makes it more difficult or even painful to empty the bladder.
Hematuria or haematuria is defined as the presence of blood or red blood cells in the urine. "Gross hematuria" occurs when urine appears red, brown, or tea-colored due to the presence of blood. Hematuria may also be subtle and only detectable with a microscope or laboratory test. Blood that enters and mixes with the urine can come from any location within the urinary system, including the kidney, ureter, urinary bladder, urethra, and in men, the prostate. Common causes of hematuria include urinary tract infection (UTI), kidney stones, viral illness, trauma, bladder cancer, and exercise. These causes are grouped into glomerular and non-glomerular causes, depending on the involvement of the glomerulus of the kidney. But not all red urine is hematuria. Other substances such as certain medications and foods can cause urine to appear red. Menstruation in women may also cause the appearance of hematuria and may result in a positive urine dipstick test for hematuria. A urine dipstick test may also give an incorrect positive result for hematuria if there are other substances in the urine such as myoglobin, a protein excreted into urine during rhabdomyolysis. A positive urine dipstick test should be confirmed with microscopy, where hematuria is defined by three or more red blood cells per high power field. When hematuria is detected, a thorough history and physical examination with appropriate further evaluation can help determine the underlying cause.
Urinary retention is an inability to completely empty the bladder. Onset can be sudden or gradual. When of sudden onset, symptoms include an inability to urinate and lower abdominal pain. When of gradual onset, symptoms may include loss of bladder control, mild lower abdominal pain, and a weak urine stream. Those with long-term problems are at risk of urinary tract infections.
Urethral meatal stenosis is a narrowing (stenosis) of the opening of the urethra at the external meatus, thus constricting the opening through which urine leaves the body from the urinary bladder.
In urology, a Foley catheter is a brand name for one of many brands of urinary catheters (UC). Foleys and their namesakes are indwelling UC, often referred to as an IDCs or the alternative type being an in/out catheters. The foley UC was named after Frederic Foley, who produced the original design in 1929. The UC is a flexible tube if it is indwelling and stays put, or rigid if it is in/out, that a clinician, or the client themselves, often in the case of in/out UC, passes it through the urethra and into the bladder to drain urine.
Hydronephrosis describes hydrostatic dilation of the renal pelvis and calyces as a result of obstruction to urine flow downstream. Alternatively, hydroureter describes the dilation of the ureter, and hydronephroureter describes the dilation of the entire upper urinary tract.
Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), also known as vesicoureteric reflux, is a condition in which urine flows retrograde, or backward, from the bladder into one or both ureters and then to the renal calyx or kidneys. Urine normally travels in one direction from the kidneys to the bladder via the ureters, with a one-way valve at the vesicoureteral (ureteral-bladder) junction preventing backflow. The valve is formed by oblique tunneling of the distal ureter through the wall of the bladder, creating a short length of ureter (1–2 cm) that can be compressed as the bladder fills. Reflux occurs if the ureter enters the bladder without sufficient tunneling, i.e., too "end-on".
A urethrotomy is an operation which involves incision of the urethra, especially for relief of a stricture. It is most often performed in the outpatient setting, with the patient (usually) being discharged from the hospital or surgery center within six hours from the procedure's inception.
In urology, voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) is a frequently performed technique for visualizing a person's urethra and urinary bladder while the person urinates (voids). It is used in the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux, among other disorders. The technique consists of catheterizing the person in order to fill the bladder with a radiocontrast agent, typically diatrizoic acid. Under fluoroscopy the radiologist watches the contrast enter the bladder and looks at the anatomy of the patient. If the contrast moves into the ureters and back into the kidneys, the radiologist makes the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux, and gives the degree of severity a score. The exam ends when the person voids while the radiologist is watching under fluoroscopy. Consumption of fluid promotes excretion of contrast media after the procedure. It is important to watch the contrast during voiding, because this is when the bladder has the most pressure, and it is most likely this is when reflux will occur. Despite this detailed description of the procedure, at least as of 2016 the technique had not been standardized across practices.
Urethral cancer is a rare cancer originating from the urethra. The disease has been classified by the TNM staging system and the World Health Organization.
Urethroplasty is the surgical repair of an injury or defect within the walls of the urethra. Trauma, iatrogenic injury and infections are the most common causes of urethral injury/defect requiring repair. Urethroplasty is regarded as the gold standard treatment for urethral strictures and offers better outcomes in terms of recurrence rates than dilatations and urethrotomies. It is probably the only useful modality of treatment for long and complex strictures though recurrence rates are higher for this difficult treatment group.
A retrograde urethrography is a routine radiologic procedure used to image the integrity of the urethra. Hence a retrograde urethrogram is essential for diagnosis of urethral injury, or urethral stricture.
Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) refer to a group of clinical symptoms involving the bladder, urinary sphincter, urethra and, in men, the prostate. The term is more commonly applied to men—over 40% of older men are affected—but lower urinary tract symptoms also affect women. The condition is also termed prostatism in men, but LUTS is preferred.
Urethral intercourse or coitus per urethram is sexual penetration of the female urethra by an object such as a penis or a finger. It is not to be confused with urethral sounding, the act of inserting a specialized medical tool into the urethra as a form of sexual or fetishistic activity.
An artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) is an implanted device to treat moderate to severe stress urinary incontinence, most commonly in men. The AUS is designed to supplement the function of the natural urinary sphincter that restricts urine flow out of the bladder.
References
- ↑ Boyle, Alexander; Martinez, Daniel R.; Mennie, Peter A.; Rafiei, Arash; Carrion, Rafael (2014). "The time-less urologic question, "Now why would you do that?" A case series and literature review of self-inserted urethral foreign bodies". Journal of Clinical Urology. 7 (3): 165–169. doi:10.1177/2051415813496562. ISSN 2051-4158. S2CID 73065241.
- ↑ Kwong, Tsong; Larner, Tim (2012-05-30). "A rare and unusual case of urethral bleeding". Case Reports. 2012: bcr20126155. doi:10.1136/bcr-2012-6155. ISSN 1757-790X. PMC 4543040 . PMID 22669880.
- ↑ Veeratterapillay, Rajan; Pickard, Rob S. (2012). "Long-term effect of urethral dilatation and internal urethrotomy for urethral strictures". Current Opinion in Urology. 22 (6): 467–473. doi:10.1097/MOU.0b013e32835621a2. ISSN 0963-0643. PMID 22773058. S2CID 33542570.
- ↑ Guerrero, Dubert M; Sharma, Aishwarya (2020-08-14). "Chronic Infectious Complications of Recreational Urethral Sounding With Retained Foreign Body". Cureus. 12 (8): e9750. doi: 10.7759/cureus.9750 . ISSN 2168-8184. PMC 7489780 . PMID 32944465.
- ↑ Breyer, Benjamin N.; Shindel, Alan W. (2012). "Recreational urethral sounding is associated with high risk sexual behaviour and sexually transmitted infections: RECREATIONAL URETHRAL SOUNDING AND ASSOCIATED RISKS". BJU International. 110 (5): 720–725. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10810.x. PMC 3607666 . PMID 22221824.
- ↑ Derrick, Fletcher C. (1982). "Urinary tract infection in the adult: A guide to treatment". Postgraduate Medicine. 72 (5): 281–288. doi:10.1080/00325481.1982.11716268. ISSN 0032-5481. PMID 7134078.
- ↑ Jackson, Melina (2016-08-14). "Is Female Sounding Safe? - Complete guide to Women Urethral Sounding". Body Jewelry & Piercing Blog | The Chain Gang. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
- ↑ Jackson, Melina (2015-09-17). "Female Urethral Stimulation". Body Jewelry & Piercing Blog | The Chain Gang. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
