Urethrocele
Encyclopedia
A urethrocele is the prolapse
of the female urethra
into the vagina
. Weakening of the tissues that hold the urethra in place cause it to move and to put pressure on the vagina, leading to the descent of the anterior distal wall of the vagina. Urethroceles often occur with cystocele
s, (involving the urinary bladder
as well as the urethra). In this case, the term used is a cystourethrocele.
.
, increased urinary frequency and difficulty in emptying the bladder
. Pain during sexual intercourse
may also occur.
Prolapse
Prolapse literally means "to fall out of place", from the Latin prolabi meaning "to fall out". In medicine, prolapse is a condition where organs, such as the uterus, fall down or slip out of place. It is used for organs protruding through the vagina or the rectum or for the misalignment of the...
of the female urethra
Urethra
In anatomy, the urethra is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the genitals for the removal of fluids out of the body. In males, the urethra travels through the penis, and carries semen as well as urine...
into the vagina
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
. Weakening of the tissues that hold the urethra in place cause it to move and to put pressure on the vagina, leading to the descent of the anterior distal wall of the vagina. Urethroceles often occur with cystocele
Cystocele
A cystocele is a medical condition that occurs when the tough fibrous wall between a woman's bladder and her vagina is torn by childbirth, allowing the bladder to herniate into the vagina. Urethroceles often occur with cystoceles....
s, (involving the urinary bladder
Urinary bladder
The urinary bladder is the organ that collects urine excreted by the kidneys before disposal by urination. A hollow muscular, and distensible organ, the bladder sits on the pelvic floor...
as well as the urethra). In this case, the term used is a cystourethrocele.
Cause
Urethroceles are often caused by childbirth, the movement of the baby through the vagina causing damage to the surrounding tissues. When they occur in women who have never had children, they may be the result of a congenital weakness in the tissues of the pelvic floorPelvic floor
The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is composed of muscle fibers of the levator ani, the coccygeus, and associated connective tissue which span the area underneath the pelvis. The pelvic diaphragm is a muscular partition formed by the levatores ani and coccygei, with which may be included the...
.
Symptoms
There are often no symptoms associated with a urethrocele. Where present, symptoms include stress incontinenceStress incontinence
Stress incontinence is a form of urinary incontinence.Stress urinary incontinence , also known as effort incontinence, is due essentially to insufficient strength of the pelvic floor muscles.-Pathophysiology:...
, increased urinary frequency and difficulty in emptying the bladder
Urinary bladder
The urinary bladder is the organ that collects urine excreted by the kidneys before disposal by urination. A hollow muscular, and distensible organ, the bladder sits on the pelvic floor...
. Pain during sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
may also occur.