Functional Anatomy and Innervation of the Urinary Tract Ho Siew Hong Consultant Urologist S H Ho Urology & Laparoscopy Centre Gleneagles Hospital With  Clinical  References
Function of the Micturation System Passive reservoir for temporary storage of urine Active function of eliminating urine from the reservoir at an appropriate time
Anatomy of Micturation System Bony pelvis Pelvic viscera – bladder, urethra, prostate Sphincter unit Pelvic floor
Pelvis Female Male
Bony Pelvis - Female Gynaecoid shaped More capacious Ligaments are influenced by female hormones Bony Pelvis - Male Android shaped
Bladder Storage low pressure capacity 300 – 500 cc Good vascularity, innervated Voiding Strong detrusor contraction Clinical correlation Minimal sensation till filling of 150cc Maximal capacity 300-500cc Rises from pelvis in to abdomen during filling, bladder only palpable when adequately filled
Bladder Bladder neck, internal urethral orifice Ureteric orifice Trigone Dome 3 layers – mucosa, muscle, serosa Clinical correlation Bladder muscle hypertrophy in overactive bladder Unwanted / uncoordinated contraction -> urge incontinence Incompetent valves in ureteric orifices results in reflux of urine into kidney
Bladder Comparison Clinical correlation Shorter urinary tract in females More susceptible to ascending infections
Urethra Shorter, 4cm length, 1 cm diameter More exposed to ascending infections Longer, 20 cm length, 1 cm diameter Less likely for ascending infections Challenge to catheterize Clinical correlation Female catheterization is more straight forward, less likely hood of trauma  Shorter catheters (e.g. CISC)
Urethra - Male Tightest at fossa navicularis ‘ S’ shape, bend at peno-scrotal junction and bulbar urethra Subjected to compression from and enlarging prostate Clinical correlation Keep penis perpendicular to body during catheterization, overcoming the first bend Care when reaching bulbar urethra – highest likely hood of trauma due to bend and non relaxation of external sphincter
Prostate Gland ‘ Flush of Youth’ Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia sets in at 55 years Compression of prostatic urethra Clinical correlation Commonest cause of urinary tract obstruction in males – enlarged prostate Enlarged prostate not likely to obstruct catheterization
Sphincter Unit - Female Internal sphincter at bladder neck – smooth muscle External sphincter - not well defined structure, slow twitch voluntary muscle Almost entire length of urethra with fibers concentrated at mid urethra
Sphincter Unit - Male Internal sphincter at bladder neck – prevents retrograde ejaculation External sphincter clearly defined at level of membranous urethra – urinary continence Clinical correlation Retrograde ejaculation after TURP surgery – disruption of internal urinary sphincter Risk of urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy surgery (stress incontinence) but not likely after TURP surgery
Pelvic Floor
Pelvic Floor Female Male
Function of the Pelvic Floor Support pelvic visera Allow passage of nerves, waste products, ie. Urine and faeces
Pelvic Support Bone components Muscular components Ligamentous components
Pelvic Floor –  continence in females ‘ Buttress effect’ ‘ Hammock effect’
Pelvic Floor - Female Both slow and fast twitch fibres Clinical correlation Pelvic floor exercise – fast and slow contractions Different set of exercises for bladder (continence), uterus + rectum (prolapse)
Innervation of the Urinary Tract and Physiology of Micturition
Filling Phase Bladder distends without rise in intra-vesicle pressure sphincter unit contracts and closes urethra Bladder
Voiding Phase Bladder contracts and expels urine Sphincter unit relaxes and urethra opens Bladder
Innervation of  Micturation System Parasympathetic (S2-S4) – pelvic plexus, supplying bladder and sphincter Sympathetic (T10-L2) – supplying bladder base, internal sphincter, proximal urethra Somatic (S2-S3) – pudendal nerve, supplying external sphincter Somatic afferent in pudendal nerve Visceral afferent in autonomic system
Control Of Micturation  - filling phase Autonomic Nervous System Spinal cord Bladder, relaxed Sphincter, closed sensory pons cortex
Control Of Micturation  - micturation phase Clinical correlation -  UTI   bladder and urethra irritation Uninhibited contraction of detrusor muscles due to facilitation of micturition reflex Resulting in urinary frequency, leakage Micturition Reflex Sphincter, activated, open sensory cortex pons Spinal cord,  S 2,3,4 Bladder, activated, contracts motor
Control of Micturation - input from higher centres Sphincter, activated, open Bladder, activated, contracts cortex pons Spinal cord Other muscle groups Clinical correlation - Spinal cord injury Uninhibited contraction of detrusor muscles and non relaxation of sphincter due to lack of inhibition of higher centre ‘ Neurogenic bladder’- high pressure bladder
Control of Micturation - input from higher centres Sphincter, activated, open Bladder, activated, contracts cortex pons Spinal cord Other muscle groups Clinical correlation -  Pelvic nerve injury  in pelvic surgery Loss of detrusor muscle contraction Large, non contracting bladder – Acontractile bladder Urinary retention with overflow incontinence
Higher Center Modifications Voiding can be initiated or inhibited by higher center control of the external sphincter
Control of Micturation - input from higher centres Sphincter, activated, open Bladder, activated, contracts cortex pons Spinal cord Other muscle groups Clinical correlation -  Cerebral vascular accident (CVA) / Stroke Loss of ‘fine’ tuning from higher centers Micturition reflex intact Mixed presentation of incontinence and retention
Conclusion Lower urinary tract functions to store urine and expel urine Innervation of lower urinary tract is complex but can be simplified as a micturition reflex with modification from higher center Good understanding of anatomy and innervation can assist our understanding of many clinical conditions
Thank you

Functional Anatomy and Innervation of Urinary Tract

  • 1.
    Functional Anatomy andInnervation of the Urinary Tract Ho Siew Hong Consultant Urologist S H Ho Urology & Laparoscopy Centre Gleneagles Hospital With Clinical References
  • 2.
    Function of theMicturation System Passive reservoir for temporary storage of urine Active function of eliminating urine from the reservoir at an appropriate time
  • 3.
    Anatomy of MicturationSystem Bony pelvis Pelvic viscera – bladder, urethra, prostate Sphincter unit Pelvic floor
  • 4.
  • 5.
    Bony Pelvis -Female Gynaecoid shaped More capacious Ligaments are influenced by female hormones Bony Pelvis - Male Android shaped
  • 6.
    Bladder Storage lowpressure capacity 300 – 500 cc Good vascularity, innervated Voiding Strong detrusor contraction Clinical correlation Minimal sensation till filling of 150cc Maximal capacity 300-500cc Rises from pelvis in to abdomen during filling, bladder only palpable when adequately filled
  • 7.
    Bladder Bladder neck,internal urethral orifice Ureteric orifice Trigone Dome 3 layers – mucosa, muscle, serosa Clinical correlation Bladder muscle hypertrophy in overactive bladder Unwanted / uncoordinated contraction -> urge incontinence Incompetent valves in ureteric orifices results in reflux of urine into kidney
  • 8.
    Bladder Comparison Clinicalcorrelation Shorter urinary tract in females More susceptible to ascending infections
  • 9.
    Urethra Shorter, 4cmlength, 1 cm diameter More exposed to ascending infections Longer, 20 cm length, 1 cm diameter Less likely for ascending infections Challenge to catheterize Clinical correlation Female catheterization is more straight forward, less likely hood of trauma Shorter catheters (e.g. CISC)
  • 10.
    Urethra - MaleTightest at fossa navicularis ‘ S’ shape, bend at peno-scrotal junction and bulbar urethra Subjected to compression from and enlarging prostate Clinical correlation Keep penis perpendicular to body during catheterization, overcoming the first bend Care when reaching bulbar urethra – highest likely hood of trauma due to bend and non relaxation of external sphincter
  • 11.
    Prostate Gland ‘Flush of Youth’ Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia sets in at 55 years Compression of prostatic urethra Clinical correlation Commonest cause of urinary tract obstruction in males – enlarged prostate Enlarged prostate not likely to obstruct catheterization
  • 12.
    Sphincter Unit -Female Internal sphincter at bladder neck – smooth muscle External sphincter - not well defined structure, slow twitch voluntary muscle Almost entire length of urethra with fibers concentrated at mid urethra
  • 13.
    Sphincter Unit -Male Internal sphincter at bladder neck – prevents retrograde ejaculation External sphincter clearly defined at level of membranous urethra – urinary continence Clinical correlation Retrograde ejaculation after TURP surgery – disruption of internal urinary sphincter Risk of urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy surgery (stress incontinence) but not likely after TURP surgery
  • 14.
  • 15.
  • 16.
    Function of thePelvic Floor Support pelvic visera Allow passage of nerves, waste products, ie. Urine and faeces
  • 17.
    Pelvic Support Bonecomponents Muscular components Ligamentous components
  • 18.
    Pelvic Floor – continence in females ‘ Buttress effect’ ‘ Hammock effect’
  • 19.
    Pelvic Floor -Female Both slow and fast twitch fibres Clinical correlation Pelvic floor exercise – fast and slow contractions Different set of exercises for bladder (continence), uterus + rectum (prolapse)
  • 20.
    Innervation of theUrinary Tract and Physiology of Micturition
  • 21.
    Filling Phase Bladderdistends without rise in intra-vesicle pressure sphincter unit contracts and closes urethra Bladder
  • 22.
    Voiding Phase Bladdercontracts and expels urine Sphincter unit relaxes and urethra opens Bladder
  • 23.
    Innervation of Micturation System Parasympathetic (S2-S4) – pelvic plexus, supplying bladder and sphincter Sympathetic (T10-L2) – supplying bladder base, internal sphincter, proximal urethra Somatic (S2-S3) – pudendal nerve, supplying external sphincter Somatic afferent in pudendal nerve Visceral afferent in autonomic system
  • 24.
    Control Of Micturation - filling phase Autonomic Nervous System Spinal cord Bladder, relaxed Sphincter, closed sensory pons cortex
  • 25.
    Control Of Micturation - micturation phase Clinical correlation - UTI bladder and urethra irritation Uninhibited contraction of detrusor muscles due to facilitation of micturition reflex Resulting in urinary frequency, leakage Micturition Reflex Sphincter, activated, open sensory cortex pons Spinal cord, S 2,3,4 Bladder, activated, contracts motor
  • 26.
    Control of Micturation- input from higher centres Sphincter, activated, open Bladder, activated, contracts cortex pons Spinal cord Other muscle groups Clinical correlation - Spinal cord injury Uninhibited contraction of detrusor muscles and non relaxation of sphincter due to lack of inhibition of higher centre ‘ Neurogenic bladder’- high pressure bladder
  • 27.
    Control of Micturation- input from higher centres Sphincter, activated, open Bladder, activated, contracts cortex pons Spinal cord Other muscle groups Clinical correlation - Pelvic nerve injury in pelvic surgery Loss of detrusor muscle contraction Large, non contracting bladder – Acontractile bladder Urinary retention with overflow incontinence
  • 28.
    Higher Center ModificationsVoiding can be initiated or inhibited by higher center control of the external sphincter
  • 29.
    Control of Micturation- input from higher centres Sphincter, activated, open Bladder, activated, contracts cortex pons Spinal cord Other muscle groups Clinical correlation - Cerebral vascular accident (CVA) / Stroke Loss of ‘fine’ tuning from higher centers Micturition reflex intact Mixed presentation of incontinence and retention
  • 30.
    Conclusion Lower urinarytract functions to store urine and expel urine Innervation of lower urinary tract is complex but can be simplified as a micturition reflex with modification from higher center Good understanding of anatomy and innervation can assist our understanding of many clinical conditions
  • 31.