Chapter 15
Urinary System
Chapter Objectives
Upon completion of the chapter the participant will be able to:
1. Name and label on a diagram the organs of the urinary system. 2. Describe the functions of the urinary system.3. Describe the process of filtering, re-absorption and secretion as it pertains to the urinary system.
4. Analyze, define and spell the terms related to the urinary system. 5. Successfully complete the exercises provided at the end of the chapter.
The urinary system consists of a number of structures, each of which has a specific function or functions.
Renal Cortex
Renal Medulla
Left Kidney
Right & Left Ureter
Urethral meatus Urinary Bladder Urethra Aorta Vena Cava Right Kidney Prostate gland (males)
The components are: ¾ Kidneys ¾ Ureters
¾ Urinary bladder ¾ Urethra
Kidneys (ren/o, nephr/o)
¾ Bean shaped, fist sized organs that lie on either side of the lumbar spine. ¾ Their position is retroperitoneal which means they lie behind the peritoneal
membrane.
¾ Each kidney is covered with tissue that is referred to as the renal capsule.
¾ Under the capsule layer is the renal cortex (cortic/o) and below that is the renal
medulla (medull/o)
¾ Blood flows into each kidney through the renal artery and out of the kidney through renal vein.
¾ While the blood is going through the kidney fluid and elements can be reabsorbed and the remaining product forms urine to be eliminated from the body.
¾ The functioning unit of the kidney is the nephron and that is the area where all Pyramids of Medulla Renal Pelvis Cortex Capsule Ureter
the filtering occurs. An important part of the nephron is the glomerulus (glomerul/o). It is here that you find all the small capillaries that allows substances to move back and forth through the thin membrane.
¾ Urine that is to be secreted by the kidneys is stored in the renal pelvis (pyel/o).
Ureters (ureter/o)
¾ Narrow tubes that connect the kidney with the bladder. Urine is moved along each tube by peristalsis. This is the same muscle activity that moves food through the digestive system.
Urinary Bladder (cyst/o, vesic/o)
¾ A hollow muscular organ that acts as a reservoir for urine until it is to be eliminated from the body.
¾ When the bladder has a sufficient amount of urine present in it, the muscle fibers in the walls will contract giving you the urge to go to the bathroom. This process of passing urine is referred to as micturition.
¾ The end of the bladder has a sphincter that holds the urine in the bladder until there is an adequate amount present for elimination.
Urethra (urethr/o)
¾ A tube which extends from the lower end of the bladder to the outside of the body.
¾ The external end of the urethra is referred to as the urethral meatus (meat/o) ¾ The male urethra is approximately 8 inches long while the female is 1.5 inches. ¾ In males the neck of the urethra is surrounded by one of the reproductive glands,
the prostate gland. This was discussed in the previous chapter.
Urine Production in the Kidney
In each kidney are about one million nephrons. These structures are responsible for producing urine. In general terms they do this by filtering out excess electrolytes and waste products from the blood. This is done by the network of capillaries contained in the glomerulus. The capillary walls allow water, electrolytes and waste products to leave the blood and enter Bowman’s Capsule which surrounds the glomerulus. The filtrate then moves through the long system of twisted tubes called the renal
tubules. As the filtrate moves through the tubes there is a constant exchange of
substances occurring. When the end of the tubules is reached the remaining solution is urine (ur/o).
Word Parts for the Urinary System
Roots
¾ calic/o, calyc/o calyx, calyx
¾ catheter/o something inserted
¾ corpor/o body
¾ cortic/o cortex, outer layer ¾ cyst/o, vesic/o bladder
¾ glomerul/o glomerulus
¾ lith/o stone
¾ meat/o opening, passageway
¾ medull/o middle or inner portion ¾ nephr/o, ren/o kidney
¾ olig/o scanty, few
¾ py/o pus
¾ pyel/o renal pelvis
¾ spad/o draw off
¾ ureter/o ureter
¾ urethr/o urethra
¾ urin/o, ur/o urine, urinary organs
Suffixes
¾ -cele hernia
¾ -chrome color
¾ -ectasis enlargement, stretching
¾ -emia blood
¾ -lithasis presence of stones ¾ -osis, -pathy abnormal condition, disease ¾ -pexy surgical fixation
¾ -ptosis drooping, dropping down ¾ -lysis breakdown, destruction
¾ -tripsy crush
¾ -uria urine, urination
Prefixes
¾ an- without
¾ epi- upper, above
¾ in- no, not
¾ para- beside
¾ poly- many
Term Analysis and Definition
Word Part Term Term Analysis Definition
calic/o, calyc/o
caliceal calic = calyx
-eal = pertaining to
Pertaining to the calices of the kidney
catheter/o catheterization catheter =
something inserted -ion = process
Process of inserting a tube into a body cavity, like the bladder, to remove fluid
corpor/o extracorporeal corpor = body extra = outside -eal = pertaining to
Pertaining to outside the body
Cortic/o cortical cortic = cortex, outer layer
-al = pertaining to
Pertaining to the outer layer of the kidney. cyst/o vesic/o cystitis cystoscope vesicoureteral cyst = bladder -itis = inflammation -scope = instrument used to visually examine vesic = bladder ureter = ureter -al = pertaining to
Inflammation of the bladder
Instrument used to visually examine the bladder
Pertaining to the bladder and ureters. glomerul/o Glomerulone-phritis glomerulosc-lerosis glomerul = glomerulus nephr = kidney -itis = inflammation -sclerosis = hardening
Inflammation of the glomerulus of the kidney
Hardening of the glomerulus
lith/o lithotripsy lith = stone
-tripsy = crushing
Crushing of kidney stones using sound waves meat/o meatotomy meat = meatus
-tomy = process of cutting
Process of cutting into the urinary meatus
medull/o medullary medull = medulla -ary = pertaining to
Pertaining to the medulla
nephr/o, ren/o
nephrolithiasis nephr = kidney
-iasis = condition lith = stones
Word Part Term Term Analysis Definition nephrolithot-omy nephropathy nephropexy nephroptosis hydronephrosis nephroblastoma renal -tomy = Surgical incision -pathy = disease -pexy = surgical fixation -ptosis = drooping hydro = water -osis = condition -blast = immature -oma = tumor ren = kidney -al = pertaining to
Process of removing stones through a surgical incision into the kidney
Disease of the kidney
Surgical fixation of the kidney
Drooping of the kidney Conition where there is accumulation of fluid in the kidney
Tumor of the kidney made up of underdeveloped material Pertaining to the kidneys
pyel/o pyelogram
pyelonephritis
pyel = renal pelvis -gram = record
nephr = kidney -itis = inflammation
Record of the ureter and kidney, particularly the renal pelvis
Inflammation of the kidney and the renal pelvis
ureter/o ureteral ureterectasis ureterostenosis ureterostomy ureter = ureter -al = pertaining to -ectasis = stretching -stenosis = narrowing -stomy = permanent new opening
Pertaining to the ureter
Stretching of the ureter Narrowing of the ureter
Creation of a permanent new opening into the ureter
urethr/o Cystourethro-graphy transurethral cysto = bladder urethr = urethra -graphy = process of recording trans = across -al = pertaining to
Process of recording an image of the bladder and urethra using X-Ray
Performed across or through the urethra
Word Part Term Term Analysis Definition
utethroplasty -plasty = surgical repair
Surgical repair of the urethra
urin/o urinary urin = urine
-ary = pertaining to Pertaining to urine ur/o uremia urogram urologist ur = urinary tract, urine, urination -emia = blood -gram = record -logist = one who specializes
Accumulation of urine in the blood because of kidney dysfunction
Record of the urinary tract One who specializes in the urinary system -lysis dialysis urinalysis dia = through -lysis = separate, breakdown urin = urine -lysis = apart Mechanical replacement of kidney function with a machine. Blood passes through the machine and the waste
products are separated out and the blood returns to the patient. Laboratory test analysis of urine -uria anuria bacteriuria dysuria hematuria nocturia oliguria pyuria an = no, lack of -uria = urine, urination bacteri = bacteria dys = painful, difficult hemat = blood noct = night oligo = deficient, scanty py = pus No urine formation
Bacteria in the urine Painful urination
Blood in the urine
Frequent urination at night Decreased urination Pus in the urine in- incontinence in = no, not
-continence = to stop
No control of excretion functions such as urination
poly- polyuria poly = many -uria = urine
Excretion of large amounts of urine
Word Part Term Term Analysis Definition
polycystic kidneys
cyst = sac
-ic = pertaining to
Pertaining to kidneys with many cysts.
Abbreviations:
ADH: antidiuretic hormone BUN: blood urea nitrogen CRF: chronic renal failure C and S: culture and sensitivity
ECSL: extracorporeal shockwave lithotriptor ESWL: extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy GU: genitourinary
H2O: water
I and O: intake and output
IVP: intravenous pyelogram KUB: kidney, ureter, bladder UTI: urinary tract infection
