[Non-gynecological abdominal emergencies during pregnancy]

Although the incidence of non-gynecological abdominal emergencies during pregnancy is low, surgeons may be confronted with this problem. Maternal and fetal prognosis is conditioned by the severity of the lesion and the delay in diagnosis and not the associated pregnancy. Gestation modifies the clinical picture and biological signs, particularly during the last two trimesters, making diagnosis even more difficult. The most frequently encountered lesions are abdominal contusions and appendicitis, of lesser frequency being occlusions, digestive hemorrhage, biliopancreatic disorders and acute inflammatory colon disease. An exceptional finding is a spontaneous rupture of liver. These various clinical pictures and their surgical treatment are reviewed as a function of documented data and personal experiences, and principles of obstetrical therapy defined. Pregnancy should not modify the surgeon's attitude to non-gynecological abdominal emergencies, the prognosis being related to the rapidity with which he acts.