Ureters

• Each renal pelvis drains the urine from the kidney into a long, slim, muscular tube called the ureter.

• Ureters are muscular tubes measuring 25-30 cm in length and 3 mm diameter. 

• Ureters are continuation of the renal pelvis, go down anterior to the psoas, cross the pelvic inlet and enter bladder at the base .

• There is peristaltic activity in ureters with unidirectional flow of urine from the kidney down to the bladder.

• Sites of narrowing

  • at origin-UreteroPelvic junction

  • at pelvic inlet

  • bladder-UreteroVescical junction

• Relationships

  • Abdominal part

    • Anterior: Peritoneum, Duodenum

    • Posterior: Psoas, transverse process of Lumbar vertebra

    • Right side: Lat-IVC

    • Left side: Sigmoid lies ant to ureter

  • Pelvic part

    • Anterior: Common Iliac or External Iliac vessels, Ovary in female

    • Posterior: Internal Iliac artery

Applied Anatomy