Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAnatomyFunctionAssociated ConditionsDiagnostic TestsSummary
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Anatomy
Function
Associated Conditions
Diagnostic Tests
Summary
Uretersare the tubes that transport urine from thekidneysto thebladder. There are two ureters, each between 8 and 10 inches long. The tubes are made of smooth muscles that contract to push urine from the kidneys to the bladder.
Ureters are vulnerable to obstruction as well as infections from the lower urinary tract. Left untreated, these conditions can lead to bladder infection (cystitis) and kidney damage.
This article describes the anatomy and function of ureters, including conditions that can affect these urinary tract organs. It also explains how these disorders are diagnosed and treated.
Sebastian Kaulitzki / Science Photo Library / Getty Images
Ureters connect the kidneys to the bladder. The kidneys are two organs situated just below the ribs that filter and dispose of waste from the body in the form of urine. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ located in the pelvis that serves as a receptacle for urine.
There are two ureters connected to each kidney, both of which end at the bladder. The walls of the ureter have three layers:
Anatomical Variations
The ureters sometimes develop abnormally during fetal development. These congenital conditions can interfere with how the ureters function:
The ureters are the part of the urinary system, whose function is to filter blood and create urine as a waste product. The ureters’ role in the process is to carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder.
Contractions in the ureter force urine away from the kidneys and into the bladder. The ureters work constantly, emptying urine into the bladder about every 10 to 15 seconds.
In addition to their role in eliminating waste from the body, the kidneys also balance fluids in the body, release hormones to regulate blood pressure, and control the production of red blood cells.
Like the ureters, the bladder is a muscular organ that contracts to eliminate urine. The average adult bladder can hold up to about 2 cups of urine.
Uretal conditions can be congenital or a result of injury or infection. Ureter problems occur when the flow of urine from the kidney to the bladder is affected. If urine can not move out of the kidneys, a kidney infection can develop.
Ureteral Obstruction
Ureteral obstructions are blockages in the ureter. Left untreated, an obstruction can damage the kidneys.
Causes of ureteral obstruction include:
Symptoms
Symptoms of a blocked ureter include:
Treatment
Treatment for an obstructed ureter may involve:
Ureter Stones
Ureter stones arekidney stonesthat get stuck in the ureter. Kidney stones form when waste products stick together in your kidneys. Sometimes stones are small enough to pass through the ureter; other times, they are too large and get stuck.
Risk factors for ureter stones include:
If a ureter stone is small, you may have no notable symptoms. If the stone is large and gets stuck, you may experience:
Treatment for ureter stones involves:
Ureteral Stricture
Ureteral stricture is the narrowing of the ureter that obstructs the flow of urine. Strictures can cause a backup of urine into the kidney, resulting in kidney damage.
Ureteral stricture mainly occurs with the build-up of scar tissues in a ureter. Common causes include:
Symptoms of a ureteral stricture include:
Treatment of a ureteral stricture may include:
Ureteral Cancer
Ureteral cancer is an uncommon cancer that forms in the ureter. It affects mostly older people and people assigned male at birth. Having ureteral cancer puts you at increased risk forbladder cancer.
The underlying cause of ureteral cancer is unknown but risk factors include:
Symptoms of ureteral cancer may include:
Treatment of ureteral cancer depends on how advanced the cancer is but may involve:
Vesicoureteral Reflux
Risk factors for vesicoureteral reflux include;
The most common symptom of VUR is recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs). Other signs and symptoms include:
Ureteropelvic/Uretovesical Junction Obstruction
Ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstructionis a blockage in the junction between a kidney and a ureter, while a ureterovesical junction (UVJ) obstruction is a blockage in the junction between the bladder and a ureter.
Causes of UPJ and UVJ obstruction include:
Symptoms of UPJ and UVJ obstruction include:
Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infectionscan affect any part of your urinary tract, including the ureters. The organ most commonly affected is the bladder, resulting incystitis. Infections that move upward can affect the ureters and eventually the kidneys (causingpyelonephritis).
UTIs most often occur when bacteria enter the urethra (the tube through which urine exits the body).
Risk factors for a UTI include:
Symptoms of a UTI vary based on its location and the severity of the infection. UTIs located further up the urinary tract tend to be more severe.
Common signs and symptoms of a UTI include:
Antibiotics commonly used to treat UTIs include:
If you are experiencing symptoms that may indicate a condition of the ureter, your healthcare provider may run tests. Tests will likely include scans to look a the ureter and surrounding organs.
Common tests include:
Ureters are two tubes that transport urine from each kidney to the bladder. They are vulnerable to conditions like urinary tract infections (UTIs), ureteral strictures, ureter stones and obstruction, vesicoureteral reflux, and even ureteral cancer.
Disorders for the ureter can be directly observed with cystoscopy or indirectly observed with ultrasound, CT, MRI, or voiding cystourethrograms. Blood and urine tests (including kidney function tests) can help inform the diagnosis.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anatomy of the urinary system.National Cancer Institute.Ureters.Cleveland Clinic.Duplex kidney (duplicated ureters): Diagnosis, cause & symptoms.Urology Care Foundation.Ureterocele: Symptoms, diagnosis & treatment.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anatomy of the urinary system.National Cancer Institute.Ureters.Cleveland Clinic.Duplex kidney (duplicated ureters): Diagnosis, cause & symptoms.Urology Care Foundation.Ureterocele: Symptoms, diagnosis & treatment.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anatomy of the urinary system.National Cancer Institute.Ureters.Cleveland Clinic.Duplex kidney (duplicated ureters): Diagnosis, cause & symptoms.Urology Care Foundation.Ureterocele: Symptoms, diagnosis & treatment.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anatomy of the urinary system.
National Cancer Institute.Ureters.
Cleveland Clinic.Duplex kidney (duplicated ureters): Diagnosis, cause & symptoms.
Urology Care Foundation.Ureterocele: Symptoms, diagnosis & treatment.
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