A mechanism for removing a fluid-filled object from a patient. The
apparatus includes a deflation tube with a puncture member at one end of
the tube for piercing a hole in the object wall. The apparatus includes a
retrieval mechanism slidable within the deflation tube lumen. The
retrieval mechanism includes an expansion element that is expandable when
positioned within the object from a first configuration with a dimension
less than that of the deflation tube lumen to a second or deployed
configuration with a dimension that is greater than an outer dimension of
the puncture member. The expansion element contacts an inner surface of
the inflatable object as the deflation tube and retrieval mechanism are
withdrawn from the body cavity. The expansion element may be a T-bar, a
foldable anchor, an inflatable member, or another expandable form.