húgyvezetk

Húgyvezeték, known in English as the ureter, is one of the two tubes that transport urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder. Each ureter is roughly 25–30 cm long in adults and runs retroperitoneally along the psoas major muscle, crossing the pelvic brim and entering the bladder at the posterolateral wall through the ureterovesical junction, where it tunnels obliquely to form a one-way valve that helps prevent reflux.

Anatomy and histology: The ureter consists of a mucosal lining of transitional epithelium (urothelium) with a supporting lamina propria, followed by a muscularis layer that typically contains an inner circular and an outer longitudinal smooth muscle. The outermost layer is adventitia. The ureter receives arterial blood from multiple sources along its length, including renal arteries proximally and branches from the gonadal or common iliac arteries, with distal segments supplied by vesical branches. Venous drainage follows a corresponding pattern. Innervation is autonomic, involving renal and pelvic plexuses, with sensory fibers contributing to pain perception in ureteral colic.

Function: The primary role of the ureter is to transport urine from the kidneys to the bladder via peristaltic waves generated by the smooth muscle. The oblique entry of the ureter into the bladder helps prevent vesicoureteral reflux during micturition.

Clinical significance: Common issues include ureteral obstruction from stones or strictures, which can cause hydronephrosis or hydroureter and flank pain. Ureteral injuries may occur during pelvic surgery; management may involve stenting or nephrostomy. Congenital anomalies such as duplicated systems or ectopic ureters can be detected in childhood or incidentally in adulthood.