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Published on: September 27, 2024
The Outcome of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Pregnant Women
Vinod Kumar Singhal1, Faris Dawood Alaswad2, Nufra Senofer3
1General Surgery, Prime Hospital, Dubai, ARE.
Objective:
This study aims to critically evaluate the safety, feasibility, and clinical outcomes of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in pregnant women.
Methodology:
A retrospective observational study was conducted, reviewing the medical records of 56 pregnant women who underwent LC for gallbladder stones at Prime Hospital, UAE, between January 2015 and December 2023. The inclusion criteria included pregnant women aged 18-42 years who underwent LC for acute or chronic cholecystitis, biliary colic, or in the immediate postpartum period. Exclusion criteria encompassed non-surgical cases and incomplete records. Diagnoses were based on clinical and imaging findings, and all surgeries adhered to a strict protocol to minimize preterm delivery risks. Data on demographics, operative details, and outcomes were analyzed using SPSS (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY).
Results:
Among the 56 cases of LC, the participants had a mean age of 32.5 years and an average body mass index (BMI) of 28.4 kg/m², with a mean gestational age of 22.7 weeks. The majority of participants were multiparous (34, 60.7%). Comorbid conditions such as diabetes and hypertension were observed in 12 (21.4%) and 8 (14.3%) cases, respectively. The primary surgical indications included symptomatic cholelithiasis (30, 53.6%) and cholecystitis (20, 35.7%). Intraoperative complications were rare, with minimal bleeding (3, 5.4%) and a low conversion rate to open surgery (2, 3.6%). Postoperative pain was the most common complication (40, 71.4%). Obstetric outcomes included preterm labor (4, 7.1%) and fetal distress (3, 5.4%), though neonatal outcomes were favorable, with high APGAR scores and no fetal deaths reported.
Conclusions:
LC in pregnant women is a safe and feasible procedure characterized by low rates of intraoperative and postoperative complications. Postoperative pain was the most frequently observed issue. The majority of deliveries were full-term, with favorable neonatal outcomes. These findings support LC as a viable treatment for gallbladder disease during pregnancy, mainly when performed in the second trimester.
