Ureter

Ureter is shaped like a slightly flattened tube of about 4–7 mm diameter. It has variable length, but average might be around 30 cm. It is about 1 cm shorter in the female.

Syntopy of ureters.

Syntopy of ureter

• Runs inferiorly from the apex of the renal pelvis at the hilum.
• Passes over the pelvic grim at the bifurcation of the common iliac artery.
• Runs along the lateral wall of pelvis and enters the urinary bladder.
• Abdominal parts adhere closely to the parietal peritoneum and are retroperitoneal throughout their course.
• Three constrictions:
  1. At junction between renal pelvis and ureter.
  2. At crossing of brim of pelvic inlet.
  3. During passage through wall of urinary bladder.

Vasculature of ureter

• Abdominal portion: branches from renal arterties, abdominal aorta and common iliac artery.
• Pelvic portion: branches from superior vesical aa, middle rectal aa, uterine/vaginal (female), inferior vesical artery (male).

Veins: follow the arteries in the same way and drain into renal and testicular (ovarian) veins.

Links

Related articles

• Kidney
  • Renal Blood Vessels and Renal Segments
  • Structure of Kidney

Bibliography

• MOORE, Keith L – DALLEY, Arthur F. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 5. edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005. ISBN 0781736390.