Gasless laparoscopy under epidural anesthesia for adnexal cysts during pregnancy

To evaluate laparoscopic adnexal cystectomy during pregnancy using an open technique with a whole abdominal wall-lift method under epidural anesthesia.

Seven cases of adnexal cysts during pregnancy were resected using a gasless laparoscopic (extracorporeal) method with a whole abdominal wall-lift. We performed this procedure without using general anesthesia or CO2 pneumoperitoneum.

All operations were performed successfully without complications. All patients resumed normal activity within one week. The subsequent antenatal courses of the patients were uneventful. There were no severe complications during the operations or postoperative courses. Six patients had vaginal deliveries of normal infants at term. No abnormal findings were found in the antenatal course of patient 7 until 30 weeks of gestation.

Based on our limited experience, this procedure may be safe.