The bladder (from Latin vesica, pouch) is a natural reservoir where urine is kept between each urination.

Position. Located in the pelvis, the bladder is a hollow organ that is part of the urinary tract¹.

Structure. The bladder is made up of two parts:

– The bladder dome which serves as a reservoir between each urination. Its wall is made up of an outer layer of smooth muscle, the detrusor, and an inner layer of mucosa, the urothelium.

– The bladder neck which opens the bladder onto the urethra, a channel leading to the urinary orifice. It helps to retain urine thanks to the circular muscle surrounding the urethra: the urethral sphincter.

Role in urination. Urine is conducted from the kidneys to the bladder through the ureters. When filling the bladder, the sphincters remain closed. The stretching of the bladder wall, due to the filling, causes nerve impulses signaling the desire to urinate. The opening of the sphincters and the contraction of the detrusor allow urination. After urination, the sphincters close again.²

Urinary incontinence. It manifests itself by urinary leakage. The causes can be varied but can in particular be related to the bladder.

Cystitis. Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder that mainly affects women. It manifests itself by pain in the lower abdomen, burning urination, or even frequent urges to urinate.³ There are different types of cystitis, the causes of which are varied. a better known, infectious cystitis, is caused by a bacterial infection.

Infectious cystitis. It is the most well-known form of cystitis and is caused by a bacterial infection.

Interstitial cystitis. The exact causes of the development of this disease are still unknown but some studies tend to show that these pains are due to changes in the inner wall of the bladder. (4)

Bladder cancer. This type of cancer is most often due to the development of malignant tumors in the inner wall of the bladder. (5)

Medical treatment. Depending on the pathology diagnosed, different drugs may be prescribed:

– Antibiotics are usually prescribed for infectious cystitis.

– Painkillers may be prescribed in cases of infectious cystitis and interstitial cystitis.

Surgical treatment, chemotherapy, radiotherapy. Depending on the stage of the tumor, chemotherapy or radiotherapy sessions may be performed (5). In some cases, partial or total removal of the bladder (cystectomy) may be performed.

Diagnosis by positive strip. This diagnosis is commonly used to detect the presence of benign cystitis.

Urine cytobacteriological examination (ECBU). This test may be required, especially for complicated cystitis, to identify bacteria present in the urine and their sensitivity to antibiotics.

Medical imaging exam. Different exams can be used to analyze the bladder: ultrasound, intravenous urography, retrograde cystography or uroscanner.

Cystoscopie. This endoscopic examination is performed to analyze the inner wall of the bladder. It is used in particular to diagnose interstitial cystitis or bladder cancer. This examination can also be supplemented by a biopsy.

Urinary cytology. This test can find cancer cells in the urine.

The size and shape of the bladder vary from person to person. When filling, the bladder can increase in size by relaxing the muscles around it.