Patient Care Technician (PCT) AAH Practice Exam

A nephrostomy tube is inserted directly into which organ?

1. Nephron

2. Kidney

3. Urinary bladder

4. Colon

The correct answer is: Kidney

A nephrostomy tube is specifically inserted into the kidney. This tube allows for the drainage of urine directly from the kidney when there is an obstruction preventing urine from flowing to the bladder. This procedure is often performed in cases of kidney stones, tumors, or strictures in the urinary tract that impede normal urinary flow. The nephron serves as the functional unit of the kidney, but it is not directly involved in the insertion of a nephrostomy tube. Instead, the tube bypasses the nephron entirely. The urinary bladder is the storage organ for urine, and while related, it is not the direct site of nephrostomy tube insertion. Lastly, the colon is part of the digestive system and does not relate to urinary drainage or nephrostomy procedures. Hence, the kidney is the correct organ where the nephrostomy tube is placed.