Med Term Chapter 15: The Urinary System

kidneys

organs that remove dissolved waste and other substances from the blood and urine

ureters

tubes that transport urine from the kidneys to the bladder

bladder

organ that stores urine

urethra

tubular structure that transports urine from the bladder to the outside of the body

meatus

external opening of a canal

cali/o, calic/o

calyx

cyst/o

urinary bladder

glomerul/o

glomerulus

meat/o

meatus

nephr/o, ren/o

kidney

pyel/o

renal pelvis

trigon/o

trigone

ur/o, urin/o

urine

ureter/o

ureter

urethr/o

urethra

-uria

of urine

vesic/o

bladder

retroperitoneal

posterior to the peritoneum

reabsorption

retaining essential substances the body needs in the process

filtration

process that removes water, salts, sugar, urea and other nitrogenous waste to produce urine

cortex

outer protective portion of the kidneys

medulla

inner soft portion of kidneys

hilum

depression in the middle of the concave side of the kidney through which the blood vessels, nerves and ureters enter and exit the kidney

nephron

functional unit of the kidney

urine

waste product of blood from the nephron

glomerulus

group of capillaries that filters fluid from the blood and is the first place where urine is formed

renin

substance that increases blood pressure to maintain the filtration rate of blood

Bowman’s capsule

where water, salts, sugars, urea and certain wastes pass through and fluid collects

renal pelvis

collecting area in the center of the kidney

calices

small cuplike structures that collect urine

ureters

tubes (~22cm long) that extend from the kidneys to the urinary bladder

urinary bladder

hollow, muscular organ that stores urine until it is ready to be excreted from the body

trigone

triangular area where the ureters enter the bladder and the urethra exits it

urethra

extends from the urinary bladder to meatus

meatus

allow body to control when urine is released

urinalysis

inspecting a urine sample for abnormalities using either a microscope or a machine

Foley catheter

retention catheters used when intake and output (I+O) are required to be maintained closely

condom catheter

rubber sheath placed over the penis with tubing connected to a drainage or leg bag where the urine collects

specific gravity

ratio of density of a substance

casts

formed when protein accumulates in the urine

acetone

built up when the body is burning fat (usually occurs in diabetes)

ketones

may indicate starvation or diabetes

albumin

may indicate leakage of blood proteins through the renal tubules (indicator of nephron disease)

glucose

can indicate diabetes if present in urine

bilirubin

can indicate liver disease

cystoscopy

insertion of a cystoscope to examine the bladder with a light

kidney, ureter, bladder (KUB)

x-ray of 3 parts of the urinary tract

renal angiogram

x-ray of the renal artery

retrograde pyelogram (RP)

x-ray of the kidney, bladder and ureters using a contrast dye injected into the ureters

voiding cystogram (VCG)

x-ray taken during urination to examine flow of urine through the system

renogram

imaging used to study kidney function

dialysis

mechanically maintains kidney or renal function when kidney failure occurs

hemodialysis

process of filtering blood outside the body in an artificial kidney machine and returning it to the body after filtering

peritoneal dialysis

insertion and removal of a dialysis solution into the peritoneal cavity

extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)

breaking up of urinary stones by using shock waves from outside the body

urinary tract infection (UTI)

commonly refers to a bladder or urethra infection

nephritis

inflammation of the kidney

glomerulonephritis

kidney inflammation located in the glomeruli

pyelitis

inflammation of the renal pelvis

nephrosis

group of symptoms usually following or related to another illness that causes proteinuria

proteinuria

protein loss in the urine

hydronephrosis

collection of urine in the kidneys without release due to a blockage

polycystic kidney disease

progressive, hereditary condition in which numerous kidney cysts form that can cause other conditions in adults

kidney (renal) failure

loss of kidney function

uremia

excess of urea in the blood

azotemia

excess of nitrogenous waste in the blood

Wilms’ tumor (nephroblastoma)

malignant tumor of the kidneys found primarily in children

nephroma

any renal tumor

cystitis

inflammation of the bladder

cystocele

hernia of the bladder

cystolith

bladder stone

anuria

no urine output

dysuria

painful urination

enuresis

lack of bladder control

nocturia

nighttime bedwetting

oliguria

scanty urination

polyuria

excessive urination

incontinence

involuntary discharge of urine of feces

albuminuria

indicates the presence of albumin in urine

hematuria

presence of blood in the urine

ketonuria

presence of ketones in the urine

pyuria

presence of pus and white blood cells in the urine

atresia

narrowing of the ureters or urethra

urology

practice of medicine specializing in the urinary tract

nephrectomy

removal of diseased kidney

nephrolysis

removal of adhesions in the kidney

nephrostomy

creation of an opening in the kidney leading outside the body

nephrolithotomy

surgical removal of a kidney stone

nephropexy

affixing a floating kidney in place

pyelotomy

incision into the renal pelvis

pyeloplasty

surgical repair of the renal pelvis

ureteroplasty

surgical repair of a ureter

ureterorrhaphy

suture of a damaged ureter

lithotomy

removal of bladder stones

cystectomy

removal of the bladder

cystopexy

operation to correct urinary incontinence

cystoplasty

surgical repair of a bladder

cystorrhaphy

suturing of a damaged bladder

urethroplasty

surgical repair of the urethra

urethropexy

surgical fixation of the urethra