Laparoscopic surgery during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the benefits, complications, and safety of laparoscopic surgery during pregnancy.


METHODS
Retrospective case series (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).


METHODS
Community academic medical center.


METHODS
Nineteen pregnant women.


METHODS
Five (26.3%) appendectomies, seven (36.8%) ovarian cystectomies, five (26.3%) cholecystectomies, one diagnostic laparoscopy (5.3%), and one (5.3%) salpingectomy. In one woman, laparoscopy was converted to exploratory laparotomy to complete a difficult ovarian cystectomy, and a second patient required a minilaparotomy incision to remove the specimen.


RESULTS
No preterm labor or adverse perinatal outcome occurred, although one woman had irregular uterine contractions that promptly resolved with tocolytics. One patient delivered at 35 weeks' gestation and the rest carried their pregnancy to term, and all delivered normal infants. No malignancy was found on histopathologic examination of specimens. Hospital stay ranged from 1 to 4 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Laparoscopic surgery can be performed safely in pregnant women. This series adds 19 cases to the approximately 141 reported in the literature. (J Am Assoc Gynecol Laparosc 6(2):229-233, 1999)
Andreoli
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Riverside Regional Medical Center, Newport News, Virginia, USA.
Servakov
M
M
Meyers
P
P
Mann
W J
WJ
D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000379:methods; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome