Laparoscopic Appendectomy and Cholecystectomy During Pregnancy: Six Case Reports

BACKGROUND Pregnancy was once considered a contraindication to laparoscopic cholecystectomy and appendectomy. The progression of laparoscopic techniques has resulted in a continued reassessment of laparoscopic procedures during pregnancy. There still exists some controversy as to the safety of laparoscopic procedures during pregnancy. This paper reviews our series of six pregnant patients treated laparoscopically for appendicitis and cholecystitis. METHODS Charts were reviewed of all pregnant patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy or appendectomy at St Clare's Hospital Schenectady, New York between 1992 and 1996. Six patients were identified. Patients and obstetricians were contacted to investigate the results of the pregnancy. RESULTS All patients and fetuses survived the procedure. Two patients delivered prematurely but remote from the operative procedure. All infants were healthy postpartum. One patient underwent an elective abortion as she had planned. The abortion was remote from the surgical procedure. CONCLUSION Our series adds to the growing evidence that laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic appendectomy can be performed safely during pregnancy.