Ureter

Ureter is shaped like a slightly flattened tube of about 4–7 mm diameter. It has variable length, but average might be around 30 cm. It is about 1 cm shorter in the female.

Syntopy of ureter

 * Runs inferiorly from the apex of the renal pelvis at the hilum.
 * Passes over the pelvic grim at the bifurcation of the common iliac artery.
 * Runs along the lateral wall of pelvis and enters the urinary bladder.
 * Abdominal parts adhere closely to the parietal peritoneum and are retroperitoneal throughout their course.
 * Three constrictions:
 * At junction between renal pelvis and ureter.
 * At crossing of brim of pelvic inlet.
 * During passage through wall of urinary bladder.

Vasculature of ureter
Veins: follow the arteries in the same way and drain into renal and testicular (ovarian) veins.
 * Abdominal portion: branches from renal arterties, abdominal aorta and common iliac artery.
 * Pelvic portion: branches from superior vesical aa, middle rectal aa, uterine/vaginal (female), inferior vesical artery (male).

Related articles

 * Kidney
 * Blood vessels of the kidney, renal segments
 * Structure of Kidney