Review: Anatomy of the Bladder

Here is what we have learned from Anatomy of the Bladder:

• The empty bladder is about the size and shape of a pear and it is located in the lower pelvic cavity.
• The bladder has flexible muscular walls three layers thick.
• As urine fills the bladder, these walls expand; they contract to expel urine.
• The three principal tissue layers of the bladder consists of:
  • mucosa
  • submucosa
  • muscularis
• The three muscularis 'sublayers' are:
  • inner longitudinal smooth muscle
  • circular smooth muscle
  • outer longitudinal smooth muscle
• Perivesical fat is a layer of fat surrounding the bladder outside of serosa/adventitia.