UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT UNIT 7 HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY (HS 2211) SAM MO (INSTRUCTOR) OCTOBER 23RD, 2023 Identify a clinical disorder that represents a fundamental disturbance of the anatomic (structural) and/or functional (physiological) integrity of the human urinary tract. Introduce the clinical disorder to your readers, describe the impact on community health.
INTRODUCTION The urinary tract of the body comprises the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. It serves as the drainage system for expelling urine which is made up of wastes and water, from the body. For micturition (act of urinating) to occur, the different part of the urinary tract will have to work together in accurate order (NIDDK, n.d.). There are conditions that can affect the urinary tract that will compromise its normal function leading to urinary tract infections (UTI) i.e. kidney stones, infection of the bladder and urethra etc. When infection affects any organ of the urinary tract, it is called urinary tract infection. In most cases, women have higher risk of having UTI in comparison to men, and it mostly affects the lower urinary tract which are the bladder and urethra. Infection of the bladder can cause severe pain but if it spreads to the kidneys, there is higher chance of more severe complications (Mayo Clinic, 2022). Some infection of the urinary tract can get treated easily, while some other may take a longer time. This paper will focus on one of the disorders of the urinary tract that can affect its anatomic and physiologic function. Clinical Disorder: CYSTOCELE Cystocele which is also called prolapsed bladder, anterior vaginal wall prolapsed, or fallen bladder is a condition in which the tissues that supports the bladder and vaginal wall gets weakened and stretch, making the bladder and vaginal wall to fall into the vaginal canal (NIDDK, n.d.). In normal condition, the vaginal wall holds the bladder in place by the help of surrounding muscles and connective tissues but when it gets weaken, it tends to move it from the normal position. Experts stated that Cystocele is common, and it accounts for the major cause of pelvic organ prolapse which occurs when vaginal walls and/or uterus lose their support and prolapse, or bulge into the vaginal canal or vaginal opening. Other pelvic organs such as bladder or bowel can also drop from their main position into the body. But then, due
to the fact that most women that are affected do not seek help, it gives room for the condition to be under-diagnosed even though nearly half of women that have given birth have some degree of pelvic organ prolapse (NIDDK, n.d.). As I have stated earlier that, weakened or damaged muscle and tissues causes' cystocele, however there are conditions that can cause such weakening i.e. vaginal delivery, anything that put pressure on the pelvis region (such as severe constipation, heavy lifting, chronic cough etc.), connective tissue disorder such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, also reconstructive surgeries such as hysterectomy etc. These are some of the conditions that cause