title: Laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe and beneficial procedure in pregnant women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Appendectomy is the most common nongynecologic surgery performed during pregnancy. Pregnancy is no longer considered an absolute contraindication for laparoscopic procedures. Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) is a safe, effective, and beneficial procedure for the treatment of acute appendicitis. However, limited data are available regarding the safety and feasibility of LA during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between May 2005 and May 2009, 20 patients with clinically suspected appendicitis in pregnancy underwent LA at Chungbuk National University Hospital. Clinical data collected retrospectively included demographic information. We compared maternal age, gestational age, operation time, anesthetic time, surgical complications, length of hospitalization, and final outcome of pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the 20 patients who underwent LA did not need a conversion. Mean maternal age was 28.1 years (range, approximately 20 to 35 y), gestational age was 15.4 weeks (range, approximately 6 to 30 wk), mean operation time was 45.5 minutes (range, approximately 25 to 90 min), mean length of hospital stay was 4.7 days (range, approximately 2 to 11 d). Fifteen of 20 pregnant women delivered healthy term infants and 5 women have kept a healthy pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data support the accumulating evidence that LA is a safe and feasible procedure for the treatment of acute appendicitis in all trimesters of pregnancy. Close maternal and fetal monitoring is essential during and after the operation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun-Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Dong Hee
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Hyo Yung
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Eun-Hwan
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Jeo-Woon
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Lee-Chan
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Jang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D055815:Young Adult