What is urinary bladder

The urinary bladder is a hollow muscular organ with considerable power of distension. It's capacity is about 450 mL (15oz) but can retain as much as 3-4 liters  of urine. When distended it is ovoid in shape . It has got an apex, superior surface, base, two inferolateral surfaces and neck, which is continuous with urethra. The base and the neck remain fixed even when the bladder is distended. 

    Location of urinary bladder 

    The triangle shaped urinary bladder is located in lower abdomen at in front of vagina and below uterus in women. 

    Structure/histology of urinary bladder

    From outside inwards - (1) Outer-visceral layer of the pelvic fascia. (2) Muscle layer composed  of muscles running in various directions. Near the internal urethra opening the circular muscle fibers provide involuntary sphincter. (3) Mucous coat is lined by transitional epithelium with no gland. There is no submucous coat. 

    Openings of urinary bladder

    Urinary bladder has three opening , these opening forms trigone of the bladder
    • Two ureter orifices
    • One urethral orifice(opening) 

    Urinary bladder diagram
    Urinary bladder diagram

    Relations of urinary bladder

    The superior surface of bladder is related with peritoneum of the uterovesical pouch. The base of bladder is related with the supra vaginal cervix and the anterior fornix. The ureters, after crossing the pelvic floor at the sides of cervix, enter the bladder on its lateral angles. In the interior of bladder, the inferolateral surfaces are related with the space of Retzius. The neck rests on the superior layer of the urogenital diaphragm. 

    Parts of urinary bladder

    The urinary bladder is broadly divided into four parts. 
    • The fundus is posterioinferior part of bladder. 
    • The body is large are which situated between apex and fundus part. 
    • The neck of the bladder is the constricted part of bladder. 
    • The apex is directed forward the upper part of pubic symphysis. 

    Development of urinary bladder

    The urinary bladder is developed from the upper part of the urogenital sinus. 

    Functions of bladder

    The main function of urinary bladder is temporary storage of urine after complete filtration process in kidney and another function is exit out of urine from urethra by ureter which is connected by urinary bladder and carring urine from bladder to urethra.

    Bloody supply of urinary bladder

    The blood supply is through superior and inferior vesical arteries. The veins drain into vesical and vaginal plexus and thence to internal iliac veins. 

    Lymphatics drainage of bladder

    Lymphatics drain into external and internal iliac lymph nodes.

    Nerve supply of urinary bladder

    The sympathetic supply is from the pelvic plexus and the parasympathetic via the pelvic plexus from the nervi erigentes(S2, 3,4).The parasympathetic produces contraction of the detrusor muscles and relaxation of the internal sphincter (nerve of evacuation). Sympathetic conveys afferent painful stimuli of overdistension. 

    Problems of urinary bladder

    • Cystitis: cystitis is defined as the infection and inflammation of urinary bladder. It can be acute and chronic and cause pain, discomfort, pain during urination, urinary frequency . 
    • Urinary incontinence: lack of voluntary control on urination, urinary incontinence result from many causes. 
    • Hematuria: The term hematuria is refers to blood in urine during urination. It may be caused by infection or other serious condition like bladder cancer. 
    • Bladder cancer: Bladder cancer is defined as the abnormal cells growth in inner lining of bladder. It is typically begins in older adults. 
    • Urinary stones: Urinary stones are deposition of calcium, oxalate, phosphorus. A stone may be stay in kidney and travel in urinary tract. It can block the urine passage and cause severe pain in lower abdomen and during urination. 
    • Overactive bladder: Overactive bladder is a urinary symptoms not a disease. It is a sudden and repeated need of urination which can occur due to risk factor of enlarged prostate. In this condition doctors can do Augmentation Cystoplasty surgery. 
    • Bed wetting: When a person eliminate the urine during night time on bed due to involuntary movement of bladder know as bed wetting. It is also called nocturnal enuresis. 
    • Urinary retention: Urinary retention is a condition where your bladder doesn't empty all the way or at all when you urinate. An infection in any part of urinary tract can cause urinary retention. 
    • Urinary Bladder infection: Urinary bladder infection is a type of urinary tract infections ,which is an infection in any part of urinary tract. It is mostly occur in women than women.
    • Dysuria: Dysuria is a medical term for pain and discomfort which is mainly caused by bacterial infection in urinary tract and more common in women than men. 
    • Cystocele: Cystocele is a medical condition in which a women bladder are bluge into her vagina. It is also known as bladder prolapse 

    Sign and symptoms of bladder problem

    • Pain and burning during after and before urination
    • Inability to hold urine
    • Blood in urine
    • Trouble emptying the bladder
    • Pain in lower abdominal
    • Bed wetting during night time sleeping
    • Pain during sexual intercourse
    • Cloudy urine
    • Strong smell in urine
    • Urinate frequently, usually eight or more time in 24 hours. 

    Test for bladder problems

    • Urodynamic testing: Urodynamic test take pictures and videos of bladder during filling and emptying.To recognize how well the bladder, sphincter, urethra store and release urine. 
    • Cystoscopy: In this procedure a hollow tube inserting into your urethra to bladder which measure lining of bladder and ureters that carries the urine. 
    • Urinalysis: A urinalysis is a laboratory test to examine urine which used to detect your bladder problems such as urinary tract infection, cystitis. 

    Treatment of bladder problems

    • Anti-spasm medication
    • Bladder catheterization
    • Cystoscopy
    • Surgery
    • Kegel exercise

    Other query related to bladder


    Can you live without your bladder? 

    Yes, you can live without bladder but you need a another way to pass your urine from body such as urostomy bag and neo bladder. It is   also necessary that you able to change your daily routine with new way to pass. 

    What can you not do after bladder surgery? 

    After a bladder surgery you need several weeks to recover( approximately 3-weeks) and this period of recover you must not do high activity that strain your bladder such as bicycle riding, heavy weight lifting, running etc. 
         

    Can a bladder be replaced? 

    If you have bladder cancer and any other sever disease condition then your surgeon can do cystectomy. After this surgery your surgeons make a new way to exit out urine from your body such as neo bladder. 

    What causes of enlarged bladder? 

    The most common cause of bladder is an obstruction between the passage of urine which is usually occur in ureter or urethra.It is also occur due to inflammation, diabetes and in a obese gaining person. 

    Can underactive bladder be cured? 

    In this time the treatment exact of underactive bladder is unknown but your doctors you suggest some medications to treat this condition and also suggest you for self catheterization. 

    How do you pee if your bladder is removed?

    If you bladder is removed you need to neo bladder and urostomy bag to collect urine from kidney and exit out it from body

    What happens if your bladder brusts? 

    In rare conditions your bladder is burst if you hold urine for several hours. This condition is a life threatening condition and you need immediate care by going an hospital. This condition also lead to bacterial infection which is very harmful for your life

    What happens if your bladder stop working? 

    Your bladder can stop if nerve are damaged which lead to stop message to bladder and causing urinary retention.Urinary retention is a condition in which urine is back to the kidney and damaged your kidney. 

    How many is normal to urinate at night and day? 

    It is depend how much you drink water and it is defferent in varies people. In adults the avarage rate of urinate is four to seven time in a day but if your bladder is smaller than normal range due to any disease condition then It is possible that you urinate more time in comparison to avarage rate. 

    How do you tell if your bladder is not emptying fully?

    If your bladder is not completely emptying fully then you can tell your doctors about this by telling your symptoms such as difficulty in start urine, small amount urine comming, increased abdominal pressure. 

    What to do if urine is not coming out? 

    If urine is not coming out then you can trying some remedies to treat this such as drinking water when urinate, rubbing the inner thigh, trapping the area between nevel and pubic bone, drink enough fluids, do kegel exercise. 



    I hope you like this article on urinary bladder so please like and share this article and if you have any query  to urinary bladder then comment on comment box.