Internal bladder retractor for laparoscopic cystectomy in the female patient.

PURPOSE To overcome difficult dissection of the vascular pedicles during laparoscopic radical cystectomy we used a novel technique of internal bladder retraction. MATERIALS AND METHODS An internal bladder retractor was used to facilitate dissection of the vascular pedicles during laparoscopic radical cystectomy in a female patient. RESULTS The application of the retractor is easy and it allows more precise control of the vascular pedicles and ureters. It also helps to overcome the space limitation when dissecting the perivesical structures. Laparoscopic cystectomy with hysterectomy was accomplished in 2.5 hours. CONCLUSIONS We successfully used a novel internal bladder retractor to facilitate laparoscopic radical cystectomy in a female patient.