Normally, a person has two kidneys. The rest of the urinary tract consists of the following:
Two ureters (the tubes connecting each kidney to the bladder)
The bladder (an expandable muscular sac that holds urine until it is released from the body)
The urethra (a tube attached to the bladder that leads to the outside of the body)
Each kidney continuously produces urine, which then drains through the ureter into the bladder at a low pressure. From the bladder, urine drains through the urethra and exits the body through the penis in males and at the vulva (the area of the external female genital organs) in females. Usually, urine is free of bacteria and other infectious organisms.
Organs of the Urinary Tract
The urinary tract consists of the kidneys, ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder), bladder, and urethra (the tube through which urine flows out of the body). These organs may be injured by blunt force (as occurs in a motor vehicle crash or a fall) or by penetrating force (as results from a gunshot or stabbing). Injuries may also occur unintentionally during surgery. |
