Inter-organ spacer for use in endoscopic surgery

An inter-organ spacer for use in endoscopic surgery, consisting of a sponge formed of a porous soft material having an ability to temporarily store liquid and an ability to retain its shape, and an X-ray contrast agent contained in the sponge, and wherein the porous soft material has a liquid absorbency ranging from 40% to 100%, a liquid holding ability ranging from 90% to 100%, and a liquid releasing ability ranging from 40% to 100%, wherein the porous soft material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose, and polyethylene, wherein a tensile strength of the porous soft material is 15 to 40 N, wherein the sponge is of such a size that it can pass through a trocar having a diameter of around 30 mm, wherein the inter-organ spacer is configured such that it is inserted into the body of a patient through the trocar or an incision, and such that the entire inter-organ spacer is placed in the body during surgery so that no part of the inter-organ spacer occupies the trocar or the incision, and wherein no terminal end of the x-ray contrast agent terminates outside of the sponge.