Cholecystectomy and abdominal hysterectomy

Cholelithiasis is a common disease in women and can lead to serious complications. At Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, we have performed 21 cholecystectomies at the time of abdominal hysterectomy. All patients had been asymptomatic with regard to gallbladder disease, but showed either preoperative or intraoperative evidence of gallbladder disease. The mean surgical time was 3.3 hours, mean blood loss was 474 mL, and only one patient had febrile morbidity (> 38.3 degrees C). Because of the low morbidity, we recommend that this combined surgical approach be considered by both the gynecologist and general surgeon.