The Systems of the Body
The Urinary/Renal System
Back to the Basics - Our Body
by by Sam Chawla, MD,
WakeMed Faculty Physicians - Urology
June 2010
Overview
Your urinary/renal system reminds you pretty regularly it’s at work. But the system, made up of two kidneys, two ureters, the bladder and the urethra, does more for your body than signal trips to the restroom. It is also vital for maintaining blood volume, excreting waste, regulating blood pressure, balancing the blood’s pH, and producing red blood cells.
The Components
- KIDNEYS — The term, renal, refers to the kidneys and surrounding areas. These bean-shaped organs, located in the middle of your back just below the rib cage, have several tasks within the human body. One of their main jobs is to filter waste out of the blood. The waste that is collected combines with water and produces urine. Kidneys also keep the body’s fluids and minerals balanced and produce hormones that help regulate blood pressure and that tell the body to produce red blood cells, which are vital for transporting oxygen.
- URETERS — Ureters are the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. These tubes are usually about 25 to 30 cm long and 3 to 4 mm in diameter.
- BLADDER — The bladder is an elastic organ that collects urine after it is delivered by the ureters and before it exits via the urethra. The bladder consists of muscles, which help both contain and release urine at the appropriate times.
- URETHRA — This tube connects the bladder with the outside of the body. While the average length for the male urethra is about 20 cm long, the female urethra is only 4 to 6 cm in length, making it more susceptible to infections from bacteria in the vagina.
Urinary/Renal System Problems Kidney ftones — Kidney stones are small deposits of mineral and acid salts that form inside the kidneys. It is often difficult to pinpoint a single cause of a kidney stone, but risk factors include family history, dehydration, certain diets, being obese, digestive disease and surgery. Males and adults over age 40 are also more likely to experience kidney stones.
Treatment for most kidney stones simply involves time, drinking plenty of water and taking pain relievers. However for large stones or those with more harmful symptoms, treatment may include using sound waves to break up the stones or using a scope or surgery to remove them.
Renal failure — Renal or kidney failure occurs when the kidneys fail to function sufficiently. There are two main types of kidney failure — acute, in which function is lost rapidly, and chronic, during which failure is progressive over months and years. Acute failure is usually triggered by decreased blood supply to the kidney, damage to the kidney itself, or obstructions to the outflow of urine. Some of the most common causes of chronic failure include poorly controlled diabetes or high blood pressure and chronic glomerulonephritis (a disease involving the inflammation of the glomeruli — small blood vessels in the kidneys).
Treatment for acute renal failure, which may include medication or lifestyle changes, focuses on the underlying cause. Though chronic kidney failure has no cure, medication can often help control symptoms and slow the disease’s progression. Kidney dialysis, an artificial technique for removing waste products and extra fluid from the blood, and kidney transplant are also life-prolonging treatments available to those with chronic failure.
Urinary incontinence — Urinary incontinence, or the loss of bladder control, is a common problem among many adults. Persistent urinary incontinence may result from many factors, including pregnancy and childbirth, aging, an enlarged prostate, bladder cancer or bladder stones, or neurological disorders (such as Parkinson’s disease or a stroke).
Treatment for incontinence depends on the underlying cause and the severity of the patient’s condition. Some techniques include bladder training exercises, fluid and diet management, and use of medications. If these techniques are unsuccessful, surgical options such as creating a sling around the bladder neck and urethra, or mesh suspension — are available.
WakeMed Faculty Physicians — Urology welcomes new patients. For more information, please call 919-350-1330.