title: Safety and clinical efficacy of laparoscopic appendectomy for pregnant women with acute appendicitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) during pregnancy by comparing the operative and obstetric outcomes of patients who during pregnancy underwent LA performed by an expert gynaecologic laparoscopist (LA group) with those patients who underwent an open appendectomy (OA) by a general surgeon (OA group).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, we evaluated all patients consecutively who had undergone appendectomy for acute appendicitis during pregnancy from January 2000 to December 2010. Twenty-eight patients underwent OA and 15 were treated by LA. We reviewed the clinical charts and analysed the data for each patient's age, parity, body mass index, gestational age at appendectomy, type of appendectomy, operating time, haemoglobin change, hospital stay, histopathological results, postoperative analgesics, complications, and obstetric outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between the OA and LA groups in terms of clinical characteristics, hospital stay, haemoglobin change, return of bowel activity, complication rates, gestational age at delivery, and birth weight. However, there were significantly shorter operating time and less usage of postoperative analgesics in LA group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LA performed by an expert gynaecologist can be a safe and effective method for treating acute appendicitis during the first and second trimester of pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Eom
authors.forename: Jin Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Seung Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Joong Sub
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jung Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyung Ook
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hungdai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Pil Cho
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sang Kuk
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult