An endoscopic retractor instrument assembly includes a balloon having a
pair of expandable or inflatable end portions and at least one expandable
or inflatable spacer portion connecting the end portions to one another.
A fastener is provided for securing the balloon to a distal end of an
endoscopic insertion member, with the balloon being disposed in a
collapsed configuration along an outer surface of the endoscopic
insertion member. An inflation element is operatively coupled with the
balloon for enabling an inflating of the balloon from the collapsed
configuration to an expanded use configuration in which the spacer
portion pushes the end portions apart from one another and in which the
balloon extends at least partially in a distal direction away from the
distal end of the endoscopic insertion member for spreading internal
tissues of a patient to facilitate access to the tissues via the
endoscopic insertion member.