Anatomy Of Male Urethra: Anatomy, Function, Conditions, Diagram

Male Urethra

The male urethra forms a part of both the male reproductive and urinary systems. In functioning as the passageway through which semen and urine are voided, it thus serves the dual purpose of excretion and reproduction. It, therefore, becomes essential to learn about the anatomy and functioning of the male urethra for an in-depth understanding of male reproductive health.

What Is The Male Urethra?

The male urethra is a membranous structure extending from the bladder to the external opening at the tip of the penis. It serves to conduct the output of urinary products from the bladder and reproductive fluids from the reproductive system out of the body.

Anatomy Of The Male Urethra

The anatomy is described below:

Length And Structure

• The male urethra is about 18 to 20 cm in length, thus longer than the female urethra.

• It is divided into four main parts or segments: the prostatic urethra, membranous urethra, bulbar urethra and penile urethra.

Prostatic Urethra

• The prostatic urethra is the very first part of the male urethra and it passes through the prostate gland.

• It has a length of about 3 cm and it receives secretion from the prostate gland and the ejaculatory duct.

Membranous Urethra

• The membranous urethra is that part that passes through the pelvic floor muscles.

• It is the smallest portion of the male urethra and is about 1 cm in length

Bulbar Urethra

• The bulbar urethra is a somewhat dilated portion that lies immediately distal to the membranous urethra.

• It is covered by the bulb of the penis and functions as a reservoir for both urine and seminal fluids

Penile Urethra

• The penile urethra is the longest portion, which traverses the entire length of the penis.

• At the end of the glans penis, it terminates at the external urethral orifice, allowing for the exit of urine and semen.

Functions Of Male Urethra

• Excretion of Urine: The urethra primarily serves to conduct excretion of urine from the urinary bladder to the outside world.

• Semen Passage: At ejaculation, the urethra serves as a passage for the semen to pass through for its expulsion from the reproductive system.

• Dual Role: In the male urethra, the urinary and reproductive systems are combined and permit a dual role for the excretion of urine and semen.

Conclusion

The male urethra is an important structure performing fundamental functions in both the urinary and the reproductive systems. The anatomy and functions should be well understood to help appreciate male reproductive health and their problems.

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