Atlas of Human Anatomy by Netter

[Plate 351, Male and Female Cystourethrograms]

Ureters

Cross pelvic brim at the level of sacroiliac joint, anterior to the bifurcation common iliac artery to pierce the posterior surface of the bladder

Enters the posterolateral surface of the bladder and runs obliquely through the bladder wall, creating a flap valve

In males: the ureter passes under the ductus deferens, superior to the seminal vesicles

In women: the ureter descends posterior to the ovary and into the base of the broad ligament passing under the uterine artery ("water under

the bridge")

Supplied by branches of common and internal iliac arteries and uterine artery (inferior vesicle artery in males) and drained by veins with

same names.

Innervated by fibers from adjacent autonomic plexuses

Urinary Bladder

General structure

Lies posterior to pubic bones and pubic symphysis

When empty is tetrahedron in shape and lies entirely within true pelvic cavity; spherical when full and may reach as high as umbilicus

When empty has a base (posterior surface) and a superior and two inferolateral surfaces.

Base (posterior surface) of bladder defined internally by two ureteric openings at superolateral corners and internal urethral opening

inferiorly

Triangular area defined by these openings is the vesicle trigone

Ridge between two urethral openings is the interureteric fold

Neck of bladder is where base and inferolateral sides meet, inferiorly

Anterior angle or apex is site of attachment of urachus-fibrous remnant of fetal allantois, which is seen as the median umbilical ligament on

the anterior abdominal wall

Bladder wall is composed of a thick layer of interwoven bundles of smooth muscle running transversely, longitudinally, and obliquely-

detrusor muscle

In region of neck, detrusor muscle runs circularly as involuntary internal sphincter

Bladder mucosa is thrown into rugae except within trigone, which is smooth

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