Timing of cholecystectomy after acute severe pancreatitis in pregnancy

Acute pancreatitis is one of the most common diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and is usually caused by gallstones; its occurrence in pregnancy is rare. Cholecystectomy for biliary pancreatitis during pregnancy is unavoidable, but its timing is controversial. We herein present the case of a patient who underwent termination of pregnancy due to deteriorated acute severe pancreatitis during the 27th week of gestation. Cholecystectomy was performed because of the relapse of acute biliary pancreatitis 10 days after being discharged. The interval from pancreatitis to cholecystectomy varies with its severity; in mild pancreatitis the interval may be one week, but in severe cases it maybe up to three weeks. Because pancreatitis may relapse during this interval, as occurred in the present case, a better solution for the timing of cholecystectomy must be sought.