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The urinary meatus [a] (/ m iː ˈ eɪ t ə s /, mee-AY-təs; pl.: meati or meatuses), also known as the external urethral orifice, is the opening of the penis or vulva where urine exits the urethra during urination. It is also where semen exits during male ejaculation, and other fluids during female ejaculation. The meatus has varying degrees ...
The female or male external sphincter muscle of urethra (sphincter urethrae): located in the deep perineal pouch, at the bladder's distal inferior end in females, and inferior to the prostate (at the level of the membranous urethra) in males. It is a secondary sphincter to control the flow of urine through the urethra.
The muscle helps maintain continence of urine along with the internal urethral sphincter which is under control of the autonomic nervous system.The external sphincter muscle prevents urine leakage as the muscle is tonically contracted via somatic fibers that originate in Onuf's nucleus and pass through sacral spinal nerves S2-S4 then the pudendal nerve to synapse on the muscle.
In the human female, the urethra is about 4 cm long, [10] [12] having 6 mm diameter, [12] and exits the body between the clitoris and the vaginal opening, extending from the internal to the external urethral orifice. The meatus is located below the clitoris.
Structures opening in the vulval vestibule are the urethra (urinary meatus), vagina, Bartholin's glands, and Skene's glands. [1]The external urethral orifice is placed about 25–30 millimetres (1–1.2 in) [2] behind the clitoris and immediately in front of that of the vagina; it usually assumes the form of a short, sagittal cleft with slightly raised margins.
Infection (called skenitis, urethral syndrome, or female prostatitis) [12] Skene's duct cyst: lined by stratified squamous epithelium, the cyst is caused by obstruction of the Skene's glands. It is located lateral to the urinary meatus. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used for diagnosis. [13]
The urethra of an adult human female is 3-4 cm long. [4] The female urethra is located between the bladder neck to the external urethral orifice and is behind the symphysis pubis. [4] The urethral wall is composed of an inner epithelial lining, a sub-mucosa layer containing vascular supply, a thin fascial layer, and two layers of smooth muscle. [4]
Compressor urethrae muscle in the female is sometimes included [3] Urethrovaginal sphincter in the female is sometimes included [3] other Membranous urethra in the male; proximal portion of urethra in the female; Bulbourethral gland (males). The Bartholin gland, the female counterpart, is in the superficial perineal pouch; Vagina (females)