Ureter: anatomy, abnormalities and symptoms

A ureter is tube like structure and pain in ureter is common. Human beings have two ureters. Ureters are the muscular ducts convey urine secreted in the kidneys to urinary bladder.

There are two ureters and both are linked to the pelvis of the kidneys ( renal pelvis) in the upper side and to urinary bladder in the lower end. The place where the ureters join to bladder is called Trigon.  Joining of two ureters, and a urethra forms a triangular structure called as Trigon.

Anatomical features of uterus:-

The normal length of ureters in adults is  25-30cm long. Ureter has the diameter of 3 millimeter and has a star shaped lumen. The lumen of uterus is lined with transitional epithelium.

The ureters run  down posteroinferiorly on the lateral walls of pelvis.

The urine conveyed from the ureters is stored in the bladder and in normal cases urine will not go reverse in the ureter when the bladder is filled. The back flow of urine is not possible due to presence of ureterovesical valves, which prevents back flow of urine from bladder to ureter.

Applied anatomy or Ureter abnormalities:-

* Obstruction of the ureter,
* Ureter reflux,
* Ureter stones,
* Cancer of Ureter,
* Ureter pelvic junction,
* Urethritis, inflammation of ureter,
* Ureter cancer,
* vesicoureteric reflex,
* ureterocele,
* Megaureter,
* anatomical abnormalities of Ureter, etc.

Symptoms of ureter abnormalities:-

* Pain is common when any foreign body obstruction.
* Ureter calculi also leads to ureter pain,
* Prolapse of the ureter,
* Obstruction in urine flow,
* Discomfort in the pelvic region, etc.