title: New use of foley catheter for exposing the urethral stump during vesicourethral anastomosis in laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a technique to facilitate the urethral stump exposure and aid the suture placement of vesicourethral anastomosis during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 10-F Foley catheter is introduced in an antegrade fashion via the 12-mm suprapubic midline port into the urethral stump. The catheter balloon is positioned in the bulbous urethra and inflated with 2 mL of sterile water. With the balloon inflated, the Foley catheter can be gently pulled by the laparoscopic forceps, and thereby the urethral stump is everted and becomes clearly visible.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six patients underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy with this technique. No complications developed during follow up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of a Foley catheter for laparoscopic vesicourethral anastomosis is simple and easy and provided good surgical results in our experience.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC. wmchenster@gmail.com
authors.forename: Wen Ming
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chen Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yen Chuan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Chen Kuan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chuan Shu
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013537:Sutures; D014521:Urethra / Q000601:surgery*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000601:surgery*; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods