Urology
Urological Conditions
Urinary Tract
Function and Location
The urinary tract consists of the organs involved in the production and elimination of liquid waste (urine) from the body: the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.
There are also two adrenal glands, one on top of each kidney, that produce important hormones the body needs. Men also have a gland called the prostate, located in the pelvis, below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It surrounds the upper part of the urethra and is part of the male reproductive system.
The kidneys are a pair of bean shaped organs in the back of
the abdomen. They clean the body of excess water, salt and waste
products. As blood circulates through the kidneys, it passes
through more than a million tiny filtering units within them.
These filtering units produce urine.
Urine flows from the kidneys through a pair of thin tubes,
the ureters, to the bladder. (There is one ureter for each
kidney.) The bladder, located in the pelvis, is a hollow, muscular,
balloon shaped organ that stores urine. During urination, the
urine leaves the body by passing from the bladder through another
tube, the urethra. One end of the urethra connects to the bladder;
the other is open. Urine leaves the body through this opening.
In men, the urethra is located within the penis.
Any part of this system can become infected by harmful bacteria, but most infections involve the lower parts, the bladder and the urethra. These infections can be annoying and even painful. But if they spread to the kidneys, they can become truly serious.