LAPAROSCOPY DURING PREGNANCY - A SURVEY OF LAPAROENDOSCOPIC SURGEONS

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to survey the Society of lapa roendoscopic Surgeons (SLS) for their experience with laparoscopy duri ng pregnancy and to develop a database on the safety and complications of laparoscopy in pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: A survey questionnaire was mailed to 16,329 laparoscopic surgeons from the SLS mailing database. Seven questions were asked: number of laparoscopic procedures in preg nancy, type of operation, gestational age, intraoperative and postoper ative complications, insufflation agent and insufflation pressure. Onl y surgeons who had performed laparoscopic procedures in pregnancy were asked to return surveys. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-two (1.2%) surve ys were returned. Complete information was available on 413 laparoscop ic cases. There were five intraoperative complications, including inad vertent placement of a Veress needle into a pregnant uterus. There wer e 10 postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: This is the first report to specifically address the safety and complications of laparoscopy i n pregnancy. This study suggests that laparoscopy may be safe during p regnancy; however, it was limited by the biases of surveys and retrosp ective studies.