Urinary System Test

Composition of Urine

95% water and 5% other wastes

Nephrons

A functional unit of the kidney. Form urine by the process of filtration, reabsorption, and secretion.

Kidneys

Constantly filtering the blood to remove waste products and excess water.

Urine Flow through the Urinary System

First, blood flows through the kidneys, filtering out the Urea and other toxins. Within the kidneys there are these tubes called the loops of henle, which do the actual filtering. Then the urine flows to the bladder through tubes called ureters, where it is then expelled through the Urethra. The whole process is powered by gravity as well as the force of new incoming liquid (urine) from the kidneys.

Role of ADH (antidiuretic hormone)

Helps control blood pressure by reducing the amount of water that is excreted.

Urinary Bladder

Hollow muscular organ that is a reservoir for urine before it is excreted from the body.

Function of Urinary System

Maintain proper balance of water, salts, and acids in the body by filtering the blood as it flows through the kidneys. Constantly filtering the blood to remove urea and other waste materials from the bloodstream. Converting these waste products and excess fluids into urine in the kidneys and excreting them from the body via the urinary bladder.

hemodialysis

Process by which waste products are filtered directly from the patient's blood. Treatment is performed on a hemodialysis unit which is commonly referred to as an artificial kidney. A shunt implanted in the patient's arm is connected to the hemodialysis unit and arterial blood flows through the filters of the unit. The filters contain dialysate. This solution cleanses the blood by removing waste products and excess fluids. The cleansed blood is returned to the body through a vein. These treatments take several hours and must be repeated about three times a week.

Blood Flow through Urinary System

Renal artery, segmental arteries, interlobar arteries, arcuate arteries, interlobular arteries, afferent arterioles, glomerular capillaries, efferent arterioles, peritubular capillaries/vasa recta, interlobular veins, arcuate veins, interlobar veins, segmental veins, renal veins

Renal Pelvis

The funnel-shaped area within each kidney that is surrounded by renal cortex and medulla. Where the newly formed urine collect before it flows into the ureters.

peritoneal dialysis

The lining of the peritoneal cavity acts as the filter to remove waste from blood. The dialysate solution flows into the peritoneal cavity and the fluid is exchanged through a catheter implanted in the abdominal wall. This type of dialysis is used for renal failure and certain types of poisoning.

Urethra

The tube extending from the bladder to the outside of the body.

Ureters

Two narrow tubes, each about 10-12 inches long, which transport urine from the kidney to the bladder.

nephrologist

a physician who specializes in diagnosing an treating diseases and disorders of the kidneys

catheter

a thin flexible tube inserted into the body to permit introduction or withdrawal of fluids or to keep the passageway open

hypospadias

congenital abnormality of the urethral opening Male: under surface of the penis Female: into the vagina

epispadius

congenital abnormality of the urethral opening Male: upper surface of the penis Female: region of the clitoris

dysuria

difficult or painful urination

urinalysis

examination of urine to determine the presence of abnormal elements

nephrolysis

freeing of a kidney from adhesions

cystocele

hernia of the bladder through the vaginal wall

frequency

how often something happens

pyelonephritis

inflammation of both the renal pelvis and of the kidney

voiding

normal process of excreting urine

IVP (intravenous pyelogram)

radiographic study of the kidneys and ureters using a contrast medium

KUB (Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder)

radiographic study of these structures without the use of a contrast medium

lithotripsy

surgical crushing of a stone

nephropexy

surgical fixation of a floating kidney

nephrectomy

surgical removal of a kidney

anuria

the absence of urine formation by the kidneys

incontinence

the inability to control the voiding of urine

retention

the power of retaining liquid

cystorrhaphy

the surgical suturing of the bladder

uremia

toxic condition resulting from renal failure in which kidney function is compromised and urea is retained in the blood

cystoscopy

visual examination of the urinary bladder using a cystoscope