chapter4

URINARY SYSTEM
li yueying

department of human anatomy

Medical school of xi’an jiaotong university
 Introduction kidney
The urinary system consists of two
kidneys, two ureters, one urinary ureter
bladder and a single urethra. It
functions to excrete waste products
in the form of urine (such as urea
and uric acid, excess water and some
inorganic salts), in order to regulate urinary bladder
the composition of the internal
environment of the body. In
urethra
addition, the kidney also has the
endocrine function.
Ⅰ Kidney
* Position: located in retro-
peritoneal space, both side
of spinal column
upper end lower end
Left T11 L2
Right T12 L3
* Relation: anteriorly—
left: stomach, spleen,
pancreas, left colic
flexure
right: liver, right colic flexure,
descending part of duodenum
T11
T12
L1
L2
L3
Relation of the kidney: anterior view
Posteriorly----
12th rib,
subcostal nerve,
iliohypogastric
nerve,
ilioinguinal nerve,
quadratus lumborum

Superiorly----
suprarenal gland

Medially---- Relation of kidney: posterior view

ureter, lumbar sympathetic trunk
left: abdominal aorta
right: inferior vena cava
* Features of kidney
two extremities
two surfaces
two borders

* Deformity of kidney

1 2
Figures:
3
1. Normal kidney
2. Muitivesicular kidney
3. Horseshoe kidney
* Renal hilum and Renal pedicle
The relation of the main structures:
from front backward----
renal vein, renal artery, and renal pelvis
from up downward----
renal artery, renal vein, and renal pelvis
Renal sinus:
minor renal calyx,
major renal calyx,
renal pelvis,
renal artery and its branches,
renal vein and its tributaries,
nerves and lymphatics, etc.
Posterior view
* The structures
Parenchyma:
peripheral part--
renal cortex;
center part----
renal medulla

renal column
renal pyramid
renal papilla
Coronary section of kidney:posterior view
papillary foramen
Renal sinus: minor and major calices, renal pelvis
Sagittal section Horizontal section
The coverings of the kidney
* The coverings of kidney:
from outside to inside----
renal fascia, adipose capsule, and fibrous capsule
* Supporting structures of kidney
renal coverings, renal blood vessels, and viscera
* Segments of kidney
sup., sup. and ant., inf. and ant., inf., and posterior

sup. sup.

sup. and ant. post.

inf. and ant.
inf.
inf.
Ⅱ Ureter
It begins at the lower end of kidney, ends in urinary
bladder.
muscular canal, 25~30cm in length
3 parts----
abdominal part
pelvic part
mural part
3 constrictions----
point conjoined with renal pelvis
point crossed with iliac artery
mural part
Ⅲ Urinary bladder
* Position: located in lesser pelvic cavity
* Relations:
* The features
pyramid shape—
apex
fundus
body
neck
* The structures
urinary trigone—
ureteric orifices and
internal urethral
orifice
interureteric fold
Ⅳ urethra
* female urethra: shorter(5cm), broader(6mm) and non-curved
* male urethral: longer(19~20cm) and curved; 2 curvatures,
3 portions and 3 constrictions
 Male urethra it’s 15~20cm in length
Three parts
The prostatic portion
The membranous portion
The cavernous portion
Three constrictions
The internal orifice
The membranous portion
The external orifice
The three dilations
The prostatic portion
The bulbar portion of urethra
The navicular fossa
The two curvatures
The subpubic curvature
The prepubic curvature