The anatomy and histology of the urethra are very different between men and women, and this leads to differences in pathological presentations. In women, the urethra is a tube of 4 cm-long courses obliquely anterior internal urethral meatus through the urogenital diaphragm to the external urethral meatus. Multiple paraurethral Skene glands (derived from the urogenital sinus and homologous to the prostate in men) secrete a mucous material that provides lubrication during sex urethra. By convention, the female, the distal third of the urethra is called the anterior urethra, while proximal two-thirds is called the posterior urethra. The proximal third of the female urethra is lined with transitional cell epithelium, with the distal two thirds lined with stratified squamous epithelium male urethra, however, is divided into segments prostatic, membranous and penile. The prostatic urethra is surrounded by the prostate, where the rear wall of the urethra is elevated, the verumontanum (seminal colliculus). The middle line of the male urethra has an opening, the prostaticus utriculus, which is the male counterpart rudimentary uterus.
The urethra is located within the urogenital triangle and passes through the superficial and deep perineal spaces of the pelvic floor. The anterior urethral cancer preferably surface drainage in the lymph nodes. Posterior urethra (prostatic, membranous, bulbar and segments in the male and the proximal two-thirds of the urethra in women) in general, leads to pelvic lymph channels. Lymphatic drainage of the posterior urethra in women is to lymph nodes in the pelvis, while the anterior urethra drains into the inguinal lymph nodes superficial and deep. Lymphatic drainage of the urethra in the male is bulbo-membranous to lymph nodes in the pelvis, while the penis is the superficial and deep inguinal nodes.
The urethra is located within the urogenital triangle and passes through the superficial and deep perineal spaces of the pelvic floor. The anterior urethral cancer preferably surface drainage in the lymph nodes. Posterior urethra (prostatic, membranous, bulbar and segments in the male and the proximal two-thirds of the urethra in women) in general, leads to pelvic lymph channels. Lymphatic drainage of the posterior urethra in women is to lymph nodes in the pelvis, while the anterior urethra drains into the inguinal lymph nodes superficial and deep. Lymphatic drainage of the urethra in the male is bulbo-membranous to lymph nodes in the pelvis, while the penis is the superficial and deep inguinal nodes.