Editing Bladder (section)

== Relationships ==

* In the infant, the bladder is an intra-abdominal organ and may project above the umbilicus.
* '''Urachus'''
** '''Anchors the bladder to the anterior abdominal wall'''
** Urachal vessels run longitudinally, and the ends of the urachus must be ligated when it is divided.
** '''An epithelium-lined lumen usually persists throughout life and uncommonly gives rise to aggressive urachal adenocarcinomas'''
* '''The superior surface of the bladder is covered by the peritoneum.'''
* '''Anteriorly the peritoneum sweeps onto the anterior abdominal wall.'''
** With distention, the bladder rises out of the true pelvis and separates the peritoneum from the anterior abdominal wall. It is therefore possible to perform a suprapubic cystostomy without risking entry into the peritoneal cavity.
* '''Posteriorly, the peritoneum passes to the level of the seminal vesicles and meets the peritoneum on the anterior rectum to form the rectovesical space'''
* '''Anteroinferiorly and laterally, the bladder is cushioned from the pelvic sidewall by retropubic and perivesical fat and loose connective tissue.'''
* '''The potential space (of Retzius) may be entered anteriorly by dividing the transversalis fascia''', and it provides access to the pelvic viscera as far posteriorly as the iliac vessels and ureters
* Insert figure