Like any other internal organ, the bladder plays a key role in human life. It can function properly or, conversely, do so with noticeable difficulties. The condition of this vital skin pouch located in the pelvic area will be determined by its size.

When is the bladder normal?

This important organ in the genitourinary system begins to develop in a person when he is still in the 7th week of formation in the embryonic state. During adolescence, the last stage of development is completed. That is, the bladder in adolescents does not differ in size from that observed in an adult. At 1 year it is no more than 50 mm. Norm for a person over 14 years of age:

• for men – from 350 to 700 ml;
• for women - from 250 to 500 ml.

The location of the bladder is the area of ​​the pelvis where it is attached to it through fibrous bands. The organ has an apex and walls. The top of the bladder narrows, turning into a channel through which urine enters it. The male bladder is in close contact with the prostate at the bottom. In women, the urogenital diaphragm is located in this place.

The difference between the sexes is also in the width of the urethra. For the male component it is narrow. For women it is wide. The length of the male canals is much greater than that observed in representatives of the opposite sex.

How does the process of urination occur?

Before entering the bladder, urine is formed in the kidneys and passes through the ureters. The main function of a hollow organ is the accumulation of urine, after which it is removed from the body. When the bladder capacity is full, it can be felt manually. The norm for its location is the area from the navel to the pubis. If the bubble is full of liquid, it takes on a spherical shape. When empty, it has no form.

At the time of emptying, the mucous membrane folds. This occurs due to the submucosa, which is located inside the organ. At the bottom there is a triangle connected to the muscle. This area is not covered with mucus. When the volume of the bladder of an adult is filled, the walls stretch up to 2–3 mm. After emptying, the bladder walls return to their original width. The shape of the organ is no longer spherical. The normal wall thickness is 15 mm.

It is worth noting that the process of urination is controlled by the brain and spinal cord. This explains the fact that with a strong desire, a person is able to slow down emptying.

What can change size?

The volume of the bladder does not always remain the same as recorded in the normal table. Changes occur due to the following reasons:

• performing surgery in the pelvic area;
• changes in nearby organs due to pathological changes;
• taking medications;
• the presence and development of a tumor (both malignant and benign);
• pathologies of the nervous system;
• pregnancy period;
• age (elderly people experience obvious changes in the genitourinary system)

The size of the bladder can also change due to stressful situations or severe emotional shocks. This is typical for both male and female representatives. To return to its previous size, the emotional background is restored.

The capacity of the organ can return to normal size after the factor causing the changes is identified and eliminated. If we are talking about stressful situations or pregnancy, then everything happens much simpler. If the cause is a pathology developing in one part or another, then it comes to drug therapy. The possibility of surgical intervention cannot be ruled out.

How do changes manifest themselves?

Bladder volume in men and women, when changing, cannot remain unnoticed. The quality of life noticeably deteriorates, and the patient experiences:

• frequent urge to urinate (more than five times a day);
• frequent urge to urinate at night (the patient wakes up repeatedly);
• difficulties in controlling urination (even to the point of incontinence);
• small amount of urine with frequent urge.

With negative changes, the capacity of the bladder becomes smaller due to its small size. This contributes to frequent urge. However, it is not completely emptied.

How is capacitance measured?

For those who are experiencing discomfort, or simply want to check the condition of the hollow organ responsible for urination, there is an opportunity to do this at a local clinic.

Typically, the most effective diagnostic procedure is ultrasound. An ultrasound examination makes it clear how quickly the urinary sac fills, why there is a delay, etc.

Bladder capacity is determined using a special formula:

• EMP = 73 + 32 x patient's age;
• EMP = 0.75 x width x length x height of the organ;
• EMF = 10 x human mass.

Such calculations occur when diagnosing the bladder of an adult (both men and women). For children under 14 years of age, use the following formula:

• EMF = 1500 x average surface area of ​​the child’s body/1.73.

As numerous studies show, if the bladder has not been subjected to any negative impact, then it does not change from the moment the last phase of its formation ends.

Kidney ultrasound

Why is the size decreasing?

As a rule, in adults there are 2 groups of reasons:

• organ dysfunction;
• wall deformation (occurs at the cellular level).

The first group involves a disease called overactive bladder, in which the process of urination does not occur normally. It occurs due to insufficient supply of nerve endings and their inadequate functioning.

The second group is inflammatory diseases:

• interstitial cystitis;
• bladder tuberculosis;
• cystitis (radiation);
• schistosomiasis.

Artificial intervention in the process of urination, which is allowed after surgery, can also cause a reduction in the bladder.

Why is the bubble growing?

As a rule, the following causes of bladder enlargement are distinguished:

• formation of kidney stones;
• ischuria (inability to defecate);
• stones that have entered the ureters;
• a tumor that has arisen in the ducts of an organ;
• prostatitis;
• prostate hypertrophy (benign);

There are also other reasons that can increase the size of a hollow organ:

• brain tumor (if the area responsible for urination is affected);
• inflammation of the gallbladder;
• prostate pathology;
• inflammation of the genital organs;
• insertion of a catheter into the bladder;
• careless surgical procedures.

The bladder may become swollen due to certain medications:

• opiate;
• sedatives;
• anesthetics (some groups);
• ganglion blockers;
• parasympatholytic.

An enlarged bladder is often confused with an abdominal tumor, a cyst, or even a volvulus. In order to make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to examine the posterior wall of the organ, as well as resort to catheterization (in some cases).

What do they do when there are changes?

After an ultrasound is prescribed, they resort to other procedures to determine the disease and its nature:

• chromocystoscopy;
• cystoscopy.

Having received the results of the examination, the doctor prescribes topical treatment aimed at restoring the previous size of the bladder. Naturally, we are talking about the priority elimination of the provoking factor.

When decreasing, prescribe:

• hydrodilation (injection of fluid into an organ);
• administration of injections aimed at restoring the functioning of nerve endings.

When increasing, the following is prescribed:

• drug therapy;
• physiotherapy (ultrasounds, heating, etc.);
• special exercises aimed at strengthening the pelvic muscle tissue.

If taking medications does not give the desired effect, then they resort to surgery.

Video: Human body: bladder

The bladder is an organ that has a very important function in the human body. Urine accumulates in the bladder, and when the organ cavity is filled, urine is removed from the body through the urinary canaliculi.

When determining organ pathologies, such an indicator as bladder volume.

It is known that the walls of the organ are very elastic, and when certain negative consequences occur, they can stretch and contract. Depending on this, the volume also changes.

Normal bladder volume

Adult men and women

Normal bladder volume in adult women is 300-500 ml., for men these figures are slightly higher: 300-700 ml.

This is due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of the male and female body, the position of the organ in the pelvic area (in men the bladder is located slightly higher than in women).

However, since the walls of the organ tend to stretch, in some cases these indicators may change, for example, when the bladder is overfilled with urine.

Children

In children, the bladder begins to form in the prenatal period of fetal development, in the 1st trimester (at 6-7 weeks). And after the birth of a newborn baby, the organ actively grows, reaching the size characteristic of an adult by the age of 12-14 years.

Depending on age a child's bladder has different volumes (see table):

Can the size of the bubble deviate from the norm and why does this happen?

Exists a number of unfavorable factors, which can affect changes in organ capacity.

Some of these factors are reversible, and, after eliminating the negative cause, the size of the bladder gradually returns to normal.

Other factors, more serious, lead to permanent changes in the size of the organ. In this case, the patient timely treatment is required.

Such reasons include:

1. Surgical treatment organs of the urinary system;
2. Organ diseases located in close proximity to the bladder (if these diseases lead to changes in the size of these organs);
3. Consumption of some medicines(in particular, diuretics);
4. Tumor formations(benign or malignant form) affecting the bladder;
5. Neurological pathologies;
6. Pregnancy(especially in its last stages, when the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the bladder and other organs located nearby);
7. Emotional stress, which negatively affects the condition of the body as a whole.

Why is it decreasing?

Reasons for decreasing organ capacity may be different associated with damage to the walls of the organ and other internal organs.

Below is a table showing which factors influence the reduction and how:

Why is it increasing?

An increase in the size of the bladder, and as a result, an increase in its volume can lead to the following diseases organs of the genitourinary system:

1. Pathology in which the bladder does not empty even if it is full of urine (ischuria);
2. when stones form in the cavity of the bladder itself, or in the urinary tubules (in the second case, the bladder increases in size more intensively, since a stone blocking the urinary tract leads to a more acute difficulty in the passage of urine);
3. in men, its hypertrophy is a benign form of the course;
4. Malignant neoplasms in the prostate and bladder;
5. Presence of polyps(benign neoplasms affecting internal organs). If the size of the polyps is insignificant, the pathology does not manifest itself in any way.

However, neoplasms are prone to intensive growth and can acquire a malignant course. In this case, the negative effect on the bladder is obvious: this situation leads to a pathological increase in the volume of its cavity.

There are a number of factors that have a minor impact on the condition of the bladder, leading to its enlargement:

1. Bladder inflammation(cholecystitis). At the same time, depending on the prevalence of the inflammation, the size of the bladder may increase or remain unchanged (slightly enlarged);
2. Tumor formations in the brain, affecting its parts responsible for the process of urination;
3. Neurological disorders;
4. Age-related changes(pathology most often occurs in men over 40 years of age);
5. Diabetes mellitus, in which disturbances in the functionality of the autonomic nervous system and nutritional processes in organs and tissues develop;
6. Inflammation of the appendages in women;
7. Surgical interventions related to catheter installation (when this procedure was performed incorrectly);
8. Taking medications (opium-based drugs, sedatives, anesthetics).

Symptoms of Capacitance Change

An increase or decrease in the volume of the bladder is a pathological phenomenon that manifests itself with characteristic symptoms.

The clinical picture is pronounced, the symptoms negatively affect the general condition of the body, worsening the patient’s quality of life.

To the number main features changes in organ capacity include:

1. Frequent urge to urinate, the need to visit the toilet increases to 7-8 times a day. In this case, the urge to urinate occurs, for the most part, at night;
2. The amount of urine excreted decreases (when the bladder becomes smaller, a large amount of urine is unable to accumulate in it; when it increases, it is not completely excreted; a certain amount of urine remains in the cavity of the organ);
3. The urge to urinate occurs suddenly and intensely.

What to do if the volume of an organ changes?

Depending on how the bladder capacity changes, prescribe conservative, or surgical treatment.

When decreasing organ volume treatment is carried out non-surgically.

To restore organ size appoint:

1. Injection of neurotoxins. The drug is administered through the urethra and urinary canals, directly into the walls of the bladder. Neurotoxins block the functioning of the nerve cells of the organ, which helps reduce the frequency of the urge to urinate;
2. Hydrodilatation– filling the bladder with a large amount of fluid. This helps to stretch the walls of the organ, and, as a result, increase its size.

Method of treatment enlarged bladder– surgical. During the operation, muscle fibers are removed, part of the organ is removed, or the bladder is completely removed.

When excision of part of an organ, the removed area is replaced with the intestinal wall; with complete removal, the missing organ is replaced with part of the intestine or stomach.

TO additional therapeutic methods that contribute to achieving positive results include:

1. Physiotherapy;
2. Drug therapy.

A change in the size of the bladder causes discomfort to the patient; moreover, it may indicate the presence of serious problems in the body.

Therefore, if you notice the first signs of a disturbance in the urination process, you need to consult a specialist.

Learn more about the anatomy of the bladder in the video below:

The normal volume of the bladder differs between men and women, taking into account physiological characteristics. The size is also influenced by various pathologies that can increase or decrease it. Normally, the volume of the bladder does not exceed 1 liter. To determine the size of the cavity, they resort to ultrasound examination (ultrasound) or special calculations.

The size of the bladder has clear indicators depending on age, and deviation from the norm is a signal of the development of pathology.

What volume does a normal bladder have?

Norms for men and women

Adult bladder capacity is related to gender:

• for women - 300-500 ml;
• for males - 400-700 ml.

In a newborn and an older child

The fetal organ measures up to 8 ml, becoming larger over the weeks. The bladder of a newborn enlarges with age:

How to find out capacity using formulas?

For adults

It is possible to calculate the size of the bladder independently without specialized instruments.

To determine the capacity of an organ by age, use the following formula:

• bladder capacity (UB) = 73 + 32xN, where N is age.

For example, if the patient is 35 years old, the calculation will look like this:

• 73+32×35=1193 ml.

If you need to find out the size of an organ based on the patient’s weight, then resort to the following formula:

• EMP=10xM, where M is the weight of a person.

If a patient weighs 80 kg, then the volume of his organ is:

• 10×80=800 ml.

It is important to note that this formula is used only if the patient is not overweight or underweight. For calculations, the average weight is taken.

Definition in children

In newborns, the volume of the cavity varies, depending on how full it is. For older children, up to 10 years old, the size is calculated using the following formula:

• EMP=600+ (100x (N-1)), where N is age.

If the child is over 10 years old, the formula is as follows:

• EMP = 1500x (S: 1.73), where S is used to indicate the surface of the body.

Ultrasound examination

An ultrasound examination allows you to clearly determine the norm or deviation in the volume of the bladder.

The most accurate way to determine the size of the bubble is ultrasound examination. The device used for ultrasound examination calculates cavity size indicators independently in automatic mode. During the manipulation process, specialists are guided by the following indicators:

• height (B);
• width (W);
• length (L).

The following formula is used:

• EMP = 0.75 x W x D x H.

What is the normal thickness of the organ wall?

To obtain results about the thickness of the bladder wall, they resort to ultrasound examination. Only a specialist can decipher the data obtained from an ultrasound of the bladder. Health workers note that normally the organ has the following indicators:

• oval or round outlines;
• smooth borders;
• wall thickness 3-5 mm (with a full cavity the walls may be thinner);
• urine outflow - 14 seconds;
• bladder filling - 50 ml/60 min.;
• residual urine volume is 50 ml.

What indicators affect the size of the organ?

The size of the bladder in men and women sometimes changes throughout life. This is caused by the following reasons:

• surgical interventions on the genitourinary system;
• disruptions in the development of nearby organs;
• use of certain pharmaceuticals;
• bladder tumors;
• neurological disorders;
• pregnancy;
• old age.

Many studies have been conducted to determine the factors affecting the change in cavity size. Doctors note that severe stress can also affect the volume of the organ. To restore the normal volume of the urinary cavity, specialists prescribe psychological training and medications to the patient to relieve overstrain. At the end of the course of therapy, the person regains control of the urination process, and the bladder returns to its former size.

There are factors that provoke changes in bladder volume that are reversible. For example, after giving birth or finishing taking medications, the organ will independently take on the capacity it had before. As for changes in the size of the cavity caused by other reasons, a return to the original volume occurs only when a specialist prescribes the required course of treatment. In exceptional situations, they resort to operations.

Signs of organ volume disorders

If the bladder norm in men and women changes, this condition brings a lot of discomfort to the person. Patients note the following symptoms:

The diameter of the bladder becomes smaller mainly due to its overactivity. The disease is caused by a disturbance in the supply of nerves to the urinary cavity. But infectious and inflammatory diseases can also provoke organ shrinkage:

• Cystitis. When the disease occurs, inflammation occurs in the bladder. Patients complain of frequent urge to defecate, pain in the lower abdomen, and blood in the urine.
• Tuberculosis of the urinary cavity.
• Schistosomiasis.
• Artificial removal of urine using a catheter. Often used after surgery.

Why is the bubble growing?

Bladder capacity increases when the patient has the following diseases:

• urinary retention;
• urolithiasis;
• stones in the ureters;
• tumors in the urethral canal;
• inflammation of prostate tissue;
• prostate tumors;
• formation of polyps.

Doctors note that the following reasons can provoke organ enlargement:

The organ also increases in size in situations where the following medications are used:

• medications to relieve spasms;
• medications to relieve severe pain;
• sedative pharmaceuticals;
• medications to lower blood pressure;
• anesthesia

The normal volume of the bladder reaches half a liter, and its size varies depending on the age category of the person, his height and weight. Based on the individual structure of the body, the organ can stretch and accommodate up to 1 liter of liquid. The size of the urinary cavity is determined using ultrasound or using special formulas.

Normal organ volume

Sizes for women and men

The size of the bubble depends on the person’s gender and age. Let's look at the normal indicators:

• in women, the volume of the bladder varies from 250 to 500 milliliters;
• for men - from 350 to 700 milliliters.

Organ volume in newborns and older children

The bladder of a newborn baby is about 50 milliliters, increasing over the weeks. The size of the organ in older children also increases as they grow older and is:

• in children under 1 year - 35-50 ml;
• from 1 to 3 years - 50-70 ml;
• from 3 to 8 years - 100-200 ml;
• from 9 to 10 years - 200-300 ml;
• from 11 to 13 years - 300-400 ml.

Normal organ wall thickness

Ultrasound diagnostics will accurately determine all organ indicators.

To understand whether the walls of the bladder have enlarged, it is important to know exactly what wall thickness should be normal. The indicator is determined using an ultrasound examination of the urinary system, and only the doctor can correctly interpret the results of the analysis. A healthy organ must have the following characteristics:

• round shape;
• clear and even contours;
• wall thickness ranging from 3 to 5 millimeters (it is important to note that their thickness may be slightly smaller when the bubble is full);
• the rate of urine outflow is 14 seconds;
• bladder filling - 50 milliliters per hour;
• the remaining urine is within 50 milliliters.

What affects the size of the urinary cavity?

The capacity of the bubble sometimes changes throughout the life cycle. Changes in organ size depend on the following factors:

• pelvic surgeries;
• pathologies in the structure of neighboring organs;
• use of certain medications;
• benign and malignant neoplasms in the organ;
• neurological pathologies;
• pregnancy period;
• elderly.

Prostatitis in men can cause an increase in the size of the bladder.

The size of the bladder, according to many studies, can change due to severe stress, this is observed in women and men. To restore the former capacity of the bladder, specialists help the patient get rid of nervous tension and restore the emotional background. Thanks to this, the patient can again exercise control over the process of urination.

Some of the above changes are reversible and the diameter of the bladder returns to its previous size. This applies to pregnancy and the use of certain types of medications. In cases of changes in the volume of the bladder due to other factors, it will be able to return to its previous size only after the doctor carries out the correct treatment or, in some cases, surgery.

How do changes in organ size manifest themselves?

Deviations in the thickness of the bladder walls and its size do not go unnoticed, since they change the patient’s life for the worse. Patients begin to experience the following symptoms:

• frequent urination (more than 5 times during the day and about 3 times at night);
• uncontrollable urge to urinate;
• reducing the amount of urine excreted.

In cases where the bladder shrinks, it is more likely to fill with urine, which causes the urge to urinate more often. If the organ increases in size, but the amount of urine does not increase, disruptions in the process of urination also begin, which are characterized by a constant urge to visit the toilet.

How to calculate organ size?

In adults

To determine the capacity of the organ, specialists perform an ultrasound of the bladder, which allows one to automatically determine its capacity. The information obtained is used to study the urinary cavity, check for the presence of diseases of the urinary system and study the volume of remaining urine. However, there is a way to determine the size of an organ without going for an ultrasound.

Formulas used to determine the capacity of an adult female and male organ:

1. Bladder capacity (in milliliters) = 73 + 32 x N (N is the patient's age);
2. EMF = 10 x M (M is the patient’s body weight);
3. EMP = 0.75 x A x L x H (A is the width, L is the length, and H is the height of the bladder, which can be determined by catheterization of the organ).

In newborns and children

What should be the organ capacity of a child? In a newborn, the bladder is determined only at the 12th week of pregnancy. The size of the organ in newborns will vary depending on the fullness of the cavity. In children under 10 years of age, the bladder capacity is determined according to the following formula: 600 + (100 x (N -1)), where N is the child’s age. For children over 10 years old, the formula changes: 1500 x (S: 1.73), where S is the surface of the body. Body surface parameters can be taken from the table below.

A table with a ready-made calculation of the body surface depending on a person’s weight and height:

Weight	40 kg	45 kg	50 kg	55 kg	60 kg	70 kg	80 kg	90 kg	100 kg	120 kg
110 cm	1,04	1,09	1,14	1,19	1,24	1,32	1,40	1,47	1,54	1,66
120 cm	1,11	1,17	1,22	1,27	1,32	1,41	1,49	1,56	1,64	1,77
130 cm	1,17	1,23	1,29	1,34	1,40	1,49	1,58	1,66	1,73	1,87
140 cm	1,24	1,30	1,36	1,42	1,47	1,57	1,66	1,75	1,83	1,98
150 cm	1,30	1,37	1,43	1,49	1,55	1,65	1,75	1,84	1,92	2,08
160 cm	1,37	1,44	1,50	1,56	1,62	1,73	1,83	1,93	2,02	2,18
170 cm	1,43	1,50	1,57	1,63	1,69	1,81	1,92	2,01	2,11	2,28
180 cm	1,49	1,56	1,63	1,70	1,77	1,89	2,00	2,10	2,20	2,37
190 cm	1,55	1,63	1,70	1,77	1,84	1,96	2,08	2,18	2,28	2,47
200 cm	1,61	1,69	1,76	1,84	1,91	2,04	2,15	2,27	2,37	2,5

With interstitial cystitis, a functional decrease in the bladder is observed.

Functional decline is characterized by bladder overactivity. This disease is caused by failures in the supply of nerves to the organ or by their poor functioning. During the disease, the patient experiences frequent urination. Organic causes arise in cases of the development of diseases that are characterized by a long duration of inflammatory processes that have a detrimental effect on the walls of the bladder. In cases of such diseases, the tissues of the organ begin to be replaced by connective tissue, during which its capacity decreases. It is important to know what diseases cause this:

1. Interstitial cystitis, which is an inflammatory process in the urinary cavity of a non-bacterial nature. When sick, the patient experiences frequent urination, pain in the peritoneal area, and often a small amount of blood in the urine.
2. Organ tuberculosis, which is a bacterial disease caused by tuberculosis bacilli.
3. Radiation cystitis - inflammatory processes in the urinary cavity due to chemotherapy.
4. Schistosomiasis, which is a disease caused by infection with a flatworm.
5. Long-term artificial withdrawal of urine, for example, after surgery.

The bladder is an organ of the urinary system in which urine is accumulated, produced by the kidneys and flowing into the bladder cavity through the ureters. When a certain volume is reached, it is further removed from the body through the urethra.

Anatomy of the bladder

The normal bladder volume in men is between 350 and 700 ml. The muscle layer of its wall is capable of stretching and contracting, causing the cavity to increase and decrease depending on the amount of urine. Thus, the frequency of urination is regulated.

If the bladder is contracted and has a small volume, then the thickness of its muscular wall can reach 15 mm, and in a full state it can become significantly thinner and amount to 2 or 3 mm. Increased pressure in the cavity caused by the presence of urine leads to stretching of the muscle fibers. The receptor field perceives and transmits this information through the structures of the nervous system, resulting in the formation of the urge to urinate. The involuntary upper sphincter relaxes, the muscle wall of the bladder contracts, the lower sphincter, controlled by consciousness, also relaxes, and urine is released through the urethra.

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The size of the bladder cavity can change both for natural reasons and due to pathological processes. Temporary enlargement of the bladder can occur with voluntary retention of urine, for example, with the inability to urinate, with large volumes of liquid drunk. It may decrease with dehydration or nervous tension, leading to frequent urge to urinate. When normal conditions are restored, the volume of the bladder returns to normal and does not require medical intervention.

Pathological can be an increase and decrease in bladder volume, acute or chronic (gradually developing).

Bladder enlargement

Bladder capacity can increase acutely or chronically (gradually).

Basic factors development:

• mechanical obstruction to the normal flow of urine;
• disturbances in the neuromuscular regulation of the urge to urinate;
• unwanted side effects when taking medications.

In men, bladder enlargement is more common over the age of 40. The main difference between a chronic increase in bladder volume and an acute one is the almost complete absence of discomfort and other manifestations.

Acute increase

Acute urinary retention leads, as a rule, to a sharp increase in the volume of the bladder cavity and to stretching of its walls.

Stones can cause blockage of the ureter and, as a result, a sharp increase in bladder volume

Basic reasons:

• stone formation in the bladder or urethra;
• acute prostatitis,
• long-term use of large doses of sleeping pills, use of general anesthesia and strong painkillers, ganglion blockers;
• trauma to the spinal cord or brain, as well as their tumor lesions;
• blockage or kinking of the catheter (when it is placed or temporarily in the bladder cavity).

The formation of stones is a manifestation of urolithiasis. However, in this case, the stone is not only located in the cavity of the bladder, but also blocks its lumen, getting stuck in the neck or in the urethra. Salt deposits can come from the ureter or kidneys, gradually increase in size, or may initially form in the bladder. The most common cause of blockage is blockage of the urethral lumen due to its small diameter (up to 7 mm). The stone must wedge into the neck and lose its mobility, and with contractions of the muscle fibers of the bladder, this is only possible with certain sizes of stones (no more than 1 cm).

In severe acute cases, if the swelling of the prostate gland is so great that it compresses the urethra, this causes a sharp blockage of the flow of urine with an acute increase in the size of the bladder.

Trauma to the spinal cord or brain, as well as tumor lesions, can lead to the disappearance of the urge to empty the bladder.

In this case the main manifestations:

• the accumulation of urine is not felt by the patient;
• the volume of the bubble increases sharply;
• when the walls are overstretched and the sphincters are unable to perform their closing function, urine spontaneously flows out through the urethra.

Considering the likelihood of blockage of the urinary catheter when it is left in place for a long time (both in the hospital and at home), careful care is required. When placing a catheter, doctors always check its patency by injecting a small amount of saline and releasing the fluid.

Chronic enlargement

A gradual increase in bladder volume may be associated with organic pathological processes both in the urinary system and in the body as a whole.

Basic reasons:

• endocrine diseases (impaired functioning of nerve fibers and transmission of nerve impulses, decreased sensitivity to increased bladder volume);
• neoplasms of the prostate, bladder and urethra;

Both and can put external pressure on the urethra, creating an obstacle to the normal release of urine from the bladder, increasing pressure in it and increasing in size. If a tumor develops in the bladder, grows inside it, and also affects the wall of the urethra, reducing its lumen, then the flow of urine is gradually obstructed, and the cavity of the bladder grows.

After 60 years, adenoma is the most common cause of this process. Drinking alcohol, prolonged sitting or lying down, and hypothermia can cause changes in blood circulation in the gland, increased congestion, and even the development of acute urinary retention.

Urethral strictures develop as a result of damage to the wall by an inflammatory process or injury during surgical interventions or urological manipulations, when the damaged tissue is replaced by scar tissue that is incapable of stretching.

Volume reduction

Both functional and organic reasons lead to a decrease in the bladder cavity.

Overactive bladder may also be a symptom of prostate disease

Basic factors chronic volume reduction:

• (a condition in which the conductivity of nerve impulses sharply increases, which causes the urge to urinate even with slight stretching of the bladder wall and its slight filling);
• chronic inflammation (nonspecific bacterial, tuberculosis, schistosomiasis, after radiation or chemotherapy), in which normal muscle fibers are replaced by connective tissue and wrinkling of the organ walls occurs;
• prolonged presence of a urinary catheter in the bladder and constant diversion of urine, regardless of its volume, which leads to loss of muscle tone of the bladder walls;
• age-related changes with a predominance of fibrosis processes (replacement of normal muscle tissue with connective tissue).

Acute decrease in bladder volume is less common.

Reasons:

• after surgical operations (temporary, associated with changes in sensitivity under the influence of medications, urine excretion using a catheter);
• psycho-emotional stress, leading to increased sensitivity, impaired control of urination and increased frequency of bladder emptying.

Approaches to diagnosis and treatment

Determination of the size of the bladder is carried out using ultrasound (see). If urine retention is delayed, you can directly measure how enlarged the bladder is; if you suspect a decrease in its volume, you should drink 1-1.5 liters of water approximately 40 minutes before the test, if possible, feel and restrain the urge to urinate and determine the volume.

To diagnose the capacity of the bladder, it is carried out, in which the volume of urine located in the cavity of the bladder can be determined. To distinguish acute retention of urine from its complete cessation, excretory urography is also performed along with catheterization (including contrast) to determine the functioning of the kidneys and confirm the cause of the absence of urine from the urethra.

Treatment approaches depend on the reasons that led to an increase or decrease in bladder volume. A timely visit to a doctor when symptoms appear that indicate a change in the size of the bladder and its volume allows you to diagnose the pathology in time and take adequate measures.

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