2. INTRODUCTION
The urinary bladder is a muscular reservoir of urine,lying in
the anterior part of the pelvis.
It is commonly involved in clinical conditions such as
retention of urine, cystitis (inflammation of the urinary
bladder), calculus, disorder of micturition, and cancer.
Hence, its anatomy is of immense importance to clinicians
3. LOCATION
•The urinary bladder is situated in
the anterior part of the lesser
pelvis immediately behind the
pubic symphysis and in front of
rectum in male and uterus in the
female
•When the bladder is empty it lies
entirely within the lesser pelvis
but when it becomes distended
with urine, it expands upward and
forward into the abdominal cavity
4. SIZE AND SHAPE
• It is tetrahedral in shape when empty and ovoid in shape wnen distended.
CAPACITY
Normally in adult male the capacity varies from 120 to 320 ml. The mean
capacity is about 220 ml.
1. An amount of urine beyond 220 ml causes a desire to micturate but the
bladder is usually emptied at about 250-300 ml.
2. The filling of urine up to 500 ml may be tolerated but beyond this, it
causes pain due to tension of its wall. On collection of urine about 800 ml,
the micturition is beyond one's voluntary control.
5. EXTERNAL FEATURES AND RELATIONS
1. Apex.
2. Base
3. Neck.
4. Three surfaces (superior and two
inferolateral surfaces).
5. Four borders (anterior, posterior
and two lateral).
6. APEX
• It provides attachment to the
median umbilical ligament and
lies posterior to the upper
margin of the pubic symphysis.
7. BASE
• In the male:
1. Upper part is separated from rectum by the rectovesical
pouch containing coils of the small intestine.
2. Lower part is separated from rectum by the terminal parts of
vasa deferentia and seminal vesicles.
3. The triangular area between the vasa deferentia is separated
from the rectum by rectovesical fascia (of Denonvilliers).
In the female, it is separated from the cervix of uterus and by
the vesicouterine pouch.
8. NECK
• It is the lowest and most fixed part of the bladder. It is situated
where the inferolateral and the posterior surfaces of the bladder
meet. It is pierced by the urethra.
Its relations are: In the male, it rests on the upper surface of the
prostate where the smooth muscle fibres of the bladder wall are
continuous with those of the prostate.
In the female, it is related to the urogenital diaphragm.
9. SUPERIOR SURFACE
In the male, it is completely covered by the
peritoneum which separates it from: coils of
the ileum,sigmoid colon.
In the female, it is covered by the peritoneum
except for a small area near the posterior
border, which is related to the supravaginal
part of the uterine cervix. Here the peritoneum
is reflected on to the uterine isthmus forming
vesicouterine pouch.
10. INFEROLATERAL
SURFACES
The inferolateral surfaces are
devoid of peritoneum and in
both male and female are
related: In front to retropubic
space,pubic symphysis, and
puboprostatic
ligaments.Behind to obturator
internus muscle above, and
levator ani muscle below.
11.
12. LIGAMENT
The ligaments of the bladder are of two
types-true and false.
1. Lateral ligaments (two in number, right
and left)
2. Puboprostatic ligaments (four in
number, two on each side-lateral and
medial)
3. Median umbilical ligament
4. Posterior ligament (two in number,
right and left)
False Ligaments
1. Anteriorly there are three folds
2.. Laterally a pair of false lateral
ligaments
3. Posteriorly a pair of false posterior
ligaments
14. ARTERIAL SUPPLY
• superior and inferior vesical arteries which are the branches of anterior division of internal iliac
arteries.
• Obturator and inferior gluteal arteries.
• Uterine and vaginal arteries in the female.
VENOUS DRAINAGE
The veins of the bladder do not follow the arteries. They form a complicated plexus on the
inferolateral surfaces near the prostate called vesical venous plexus.
1. This plexus passes backward in the posterior ligaments of the urinary bladder to drain into the
internal iliac veins.
2.. It communicates: (a) In the male with the prostatic venous plexus.
(b) In the female with the veins at the base of broad ligament.
