Teloscopy after bladder neck suspension

Teloscopy, a method of suprapubic cystoscopy, involves placing a telescope into the dome of a full bladder to examine the bladder interior. A 5-mm Dexide cannula was pierced through the dome of the bladder and a telescope was inserted through it. This specialized cannula sleeve maintained bladder distention and allowed an excellent wide-angle view of the interior of the bladder and ureteral orifices. In a retrospective analysis, 103 consecutive women with stress urinary incontinence who underwent retropubic urethropexy were placed into one of three categories: Burch laparotomy (13), Burch laparoscopy (44), or laparoscopy with mesh and staples (46). Teloscopy was performed and indigo carmine was given intravenously at the end of the procedure in 90 patients. Of these, seven (8%) were positive. In all seven a suture was seen through the bladder mucosa, and in five an additional obstructed ureter was observed. In all seven women the suture was removed and replaced, and all obstructed ureters were patent before the end of the procedure. Average time required was 4 minutes. No complications, short- or long-term, occurred in the 90 women. Our results support the view that cystoscopy should be performed at the end of bladder neck suspension.