Incidental cholecystectomy in the treatment of gynecologic malignancy

From October 1985 through September 1989, 46 patients with gynecologic malignancy had an incidental cholecystectomy at the time of surgery for their primary disease at the Albany Medical Center Hospital. The mean age was 59 (range 20-87 years). Indications for the gynecologic oncologic operation included endometrial carcinoma in 21 patients, suspected ovarian carcinoma in 17 patients and carcinoma of the cervix in 8 patients. Twenty-three patients (50%) had a preoperative diagnosis of cholelithiasis, and in the remaining 23 patients, the diagnosis of significant gallbladder disease was made intraoperatively. There was only 1 (2.2%) postoperative complication secondary to the cholecystectomy. Prophylactic cholecystectomy accompanying gynecologic cancer surgery can be performed safely and avoids the potential for postoperative cholecystitis and a second operative procedure.