Trans-urethral bladder suture in female patients: Not a tour de force but a quick and realistic answer to complex situations

Abstract

Introduction: Trans-urethral bladder surgery has gained popularity in the fields of electro-resection and laser lithotripsy, with endoscopic suturing being overlooked. Bladder defect closure using a pure trans-urethral suturing technique can provide a quick and effective solution in situations where conventional management options are not feasible. Methods: Here we describe this innovative novel technique developed by our group that was used to treat two different cases with bladder perforation at two different institutions. We used a 5 mm laparoscopic port with gas insufflation and a laparoscopic needle holder trans-urethrally to achieve defect closure with a monofilament 2/0 monocryl mattress suture on a small 22 mm needle. Results: The defects were successfully closed without any intraoperative complications. Average operative time for the technique was 18 min with minimal blood loss. Bladder closure was sustained at a median follow-up of 2 years for one of these cases. Conclusions: We claim that transurethral bladder suturing is quick, safe in expert hands and provides an effective option where the clinical condition/situation of the patient warrants a minimally invasive surgery approach.