Chapter 15 Urinary System

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
Right Kidney
Renal Medulla
Left Kidney
Vena Cava
Aorta
Right & Left Ureter
Urinary Bladder
Prostate gland
(males)
Urethra
Urethral meatus
Revised 2005-09-13 -167-

The components are:
‣ Kidneys
‣ Ureters
‣ Urinary bladder
‣ Urethra
Kidneys (ren/o, nephr/o)
‣ Bean shaped, fist sized organs that lie on either side of the lumbar spine.
‣ Their position is retroperitoneal which means they lie behind the peritoneal
membrane.
‣ Each kidney is covered with tissue that is referred to as the renal capsule.
‣ Under the capsule layer is the renal cortex (cortic/o) and below that is the renal
medulla (medull/o)
‣ Blood flows into each kidney through the renal artery and out of the kidney
through renal vein.
Cortex
Pyramids of
Medulla
Renal Pelvis
Ureter
Capsule
‣ 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.
‣ The functioning unit of the kidney is the nephron and that is the area where all
Revised 2005-09-13 -168-

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.
‣ Urine that is to be secreted by the kidneys is stored in the renal pelvis (pyel/o).
Ureters (ureter/o)
‣ 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)
‣ A hollow muscular organ that acts as a reservoir for urine until it is to be
eliminated from the body.
‣ 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.
‣ 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)
‣ A tube which extends from the lower end of the bladder to the outside of the
body.
‣ The external end of the urethra is referred to as the urethral meatus (meat/o)
‣ The male urethra is approximately 8 inches long while the female is 1.5 inches.
‣ 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).
Revised 2005-09-13 -169-

Word Parts for the Urinary System
Roots
‣ calic/o, calyc/o
‣ catheter/o
‣ corpor/o
‣ cortic/o
‣ cyst/o, vesic/o
‣ glomerul/o
‣ lith/o
‣ meat/o
‣ medull/o
‣ nephr/o, ren/o
‣ olig/o
‣ py/o
‣ pyel/o
‣ spad/o
‣ ureter/o
‣ urethr/o
‣ urin/o, ur/o
calyx, calyx
something inserted
body
cortex, outer layer
bladder
glomerulus
stone
opening, passageway
middle or inner portion
kidney
scanty, few
pus
renal pelvis
draw off
ureter
urethra
urine, urinary organs
Suffixes
‣ -cele
‣ -chrome
‣ -ectasis
‣ -emia
‣ -lithasis
‣ -osis, -pathy
‣ -pexy
‣ -ptosis
‣ -lysis
‣ -tripsy
‣ -uria
hernia
color
enlargement, stretching
blood
presence of stones
abnormal condition, disease
surgical fixation
drooping, dropping down
breakdown, destruction
crush
urine, urination
Prefixes
‣ an-
‣ epi-
‣ in-
‣ para-
‣ poly-
‣ retro-
without
upper, above
no, not
beside
many
backward
Revised 2005-09-13 -170-

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
corpor/o extracorporeal corpor = body
extra = outside
-eal = pertaining to
Cortic/o cortical cortic = cortex, outer
layer
-al = pertaining to
Process of inserting a tube into
a body cavity, like the bladder,
to remove fluid
Pertaining to outside the body
Pertaining to the outer layer of
the kidney.
cyst/o
vesic/o
cystitis
cyst = bladder
-itis = inflammation
Inflammation of the bladder
cystoscope
-scope = instrument
used to visually
examine
Instrument used to visually
examine the bladder
vesicoureteral
vesic = bladder
ureter = ureter
-al = pertaining to
Pertaining to the bladder and
ureters.
glomerul/o
Glomerulonephritis
glomerul =
glomerulus
nephr = kidney
-itis = inflammation
Inflammation of the glomerulus
of the kidney
glomerulosclerosis
-sclerosis =
hardening
Hardening of the glomerulus
lith/o lithotripsy lith = stone
-tripsy = crushing
meat/o meatotomy meat = meatus
-tomy = process of
cutting
medull/o medullary medull = medulla
-ary = pertaining to
Crushing of kidney stones
using sound waves
Process of cutting into the
urinary meatus
Pertaining to the medulla
nephr/o,
ren/o
nephrolithiasis
nephr = kidney
-iasis = condition
lith = stones
Kidney stones
Revised 2005-09-13 -171-

Word Part Term Term Analysis Definition
nephrolithotomy
-tomy = Surgical
incision
Process of removing stones
through a surgical incision into
the kidney
nephropathy
-pathy = disease
Disease of the kidney
nephropexy
-pexy = surgical
fixation
Surgical fixation of the kidney
nephroptosis
-ptosis = drooping
Drooping of the kidney
hydronephrosis
hydro = water
-osis = condition
Conition where there is
accumulation of fluid in the
kidney
nephroblastoma
-blast = immature
-oma = tumor
Tumor of the kidney made up
of underdeveloped material
renal
ren = kidney
-al = pertaining to
Pertaining to the kidneys
pyel/o
pyelogram
pyel = renal pelvis
-gram = record
Record of the ureter and
kidney, particularly the renal
pelvis
pyelonephritis
nephr = kidney
-itis = inflammation
Inflammation of the kidney and
the renal pelvis
ureter/o
ureteral
ureter = ureter
-al = pertaining to
Pertaining to the ureter
ureterectasis
-ectasis = stretching
Stretching of the ureter
ureterostenosis
-stenosis =
narrowing
Narrowing of the ureter
ureterostomy
-stomy = permanent
new opening
Creation of a permanent new
opening into the ureter
urethr/o
Cystourethrography
cysto = bladder
urethr = urethra
-graphy = process
of recording
Process of recording an image
of the bladder and urethra
using X-Ray
transurethral
trans = across
-al = pertaining to
Performed across or through
the urethra
Revised 2005-09-13 -172-

Word Part Term Term Analysis Definition
utethroplasty -plasty = surgical Surgical repair of the urethra
repair
urin/o urinary urin = urine
-ary = pertaining to
Pertaining to urine
ur/o
uremia
ur = urinary tract,
urine, urination
-emia = blood
Accumulation of urine in the
blood because of kidney
dysfunction
urogram
-gram = record
Record of the urinary tract
urologist
-logist = one who
specializes
One who specializes in the
urinary system
-lysis
dialysis
dia = through
-lysis = separate,
breakdown
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.
urinalysis
urin = urine
-lysis = apart
Laboratory test analysis of
urine
-uria
anuria
an = no, lack of
-uria = urine,
urination
No urine formation
bacteriuria
bacteri = bacteria
Bacteria in the urine
dysuria
dys = painful,
difficult
Painful urination
hematuria
hemat = blood
Blood in the urine
nocturia
noct = night
Frequent urination at night
oliguria
pyuria
oligo = deficient,
scanty
py = pus
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
Revised 2005-09-13 -173-

Word Part Term Term Analysis Definition
Abbreviations:
polycystic
kidneys
cyst = sac
-ic = pertaining to
Pertaining to kidneys with
many cysts.
ADH:
BUN:
CRF:
C and S:
ECSL:
ESWL:
GU:
H 2 O:
I and O:
IVP:
KUB:
UTI:
antidiuretic hormone
blood urea nitrogen
chronic renal failure
culture and sensitivity
extracorporeal shockwave lithotriptor
extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy
genitourinary
water
intake and output
intravenous pyelogram
kidney, ureter, bladder
urinary tract infection
Revised 2005-09-13 -174-