Expediting of laparoscopic rectal dissection using a hand-access device.

Adoption of laparoscopic rectal dissection has been limited partially because of technical difficulties related to rectal exposure and effective retraction. We introduce a simple but effective method of retracting the distal rectum by using a Gelport hand-assisted laparoscopic device. Our method facilitates laparoscopic rectal dissection while obviating the need for intracorporeal manual retraction.