You are here

The Urethra

The urethra is the tube that connects the urinary bladder to the outside of the body. Urine is expelled from the body through the urethra.

In males, the urethra, which normally opens on the head of the penis, is also the conduit for semen during sexual intercourse.  In females, the urethra is shorter and emerges above the vaginal opening. The female urethra is about 4 cm in length. The male urethra is about 20-25cm in length.

The external urethral sphincter is a striated muscle that is important for urinary continence and allows voluntary control over urination.

Disorders of the urethra treated by Dr Timothy Nathan include:

Urethral stricture