[Cholecystectomy during pregnancy]

Cholecystectomy during pregnancy happens to be the second most common cause of laparotomy. The reported incidence of the procedure is I of every 1250 to 12,500 pregnancies. We have done a retrospective study from january 1989 to december 1994, at Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, having 35,080 deliveries registered, four of them with reported cholecystectomy during pregnancy. The average of maternal age resulted in 20.2 years, varying from 16 to 23 years. Three patients were multigravidas, and just one primigravida. Gestational age at the time of diagnosis and surgery was reported in 17 to 23.4 weeks. We found one twin pregnancy, and that two patients had history of chronic colecistitis. In the 100% of cases laparotomy and cholecystectomy was done, with preterm labor as the most frequent complication. There were 3 fetal loss in study and only 2 pregnancies were delivered at term.

In this review the estimated frequency of cholecystectomy was 1 of 8780 deliveries, being the second cause of quirurgical treatment during pregnancy, after appendicectomy. There were reported 50% fetal deaths, and no severe maternal complications.