The pre-prostatic urethra is one of the four parts of the

male urethra The urethra (from Greek οὐρήθρα – ''ourḗthrā'') is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the urinary meatus for the removal of urine from the body of both females and males. In human females and other primates, the urethra con ...

. The pre-prostatic urethra is also known as the intramural urethra, as it is the portion of the

urethra The urethra (from Greek οὐρήθρα – ''ourḗthrā'') is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the urinary meatus for the removal of urine from the body of both females and males. In human females and other primates, the urethra c ...

which passes almost vertically through the wall of the

urinary bladder The urinary bladder, or simply bladder, is a hollow organ in humans and other vertebrates that stores urine from the kidneys before disposal by urination. In humans the bladder is a distensible organ that sits on the pelvic floor. Urine ente ...

, before it enters the

prostate The prostate is both an accessory gland of the male reproductive system and a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation. It is found only in some mammals. It differs between species anatomically, chemically, and phys ...

gland. Both the length and diameter of the pre-prostatic urethra vary depending on whether the bladder is filling or emptying. The length varies between 0.5 cm and 1.5 cm.Moore K.L. & Dalley A.F. (2006) "Clinically Oriented Anatomy" Fifth Edition, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins p402

References

Urinary system Male urethra {{genitourinary-stub