LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY IN THE 3RD TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the method of choice for sympt omatic cholelithiasis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy during pregnancy i s also becoming more accepted, as illustrated by several recent public ations on this subject. In the third trimester, however, laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been less commonly attempted, with only a few case reports. We present a series of four patients who underwent laparosco pic cholecystectomy during the third trimester of pregnancy without co mplication. We describe a safe and effective technique for this proced ure, and review the literature on this topic.