MATERNAL GALLBLADDER ASSESSMENT DURING OBSTETRIC ULTRASOUND - RESULTS, SIGNIFICANCE, AND TECHNIQUE

Background. Gallbladder disease is four times as common in women as in men, and pregnancy appears to contribute to the development of gallst ones. During pregnancy, most women receive ultrasound scans, which are highly sensitive to the detection of gallstones. The purpose of this study was to examine the additional time and effort required to scan t he gallblader during obstetric ultrasound scanning. Methods. The mater nal gallbladder was examined in 228 consecutive obstetric ultrasound s cans performed for medical indications at any time during pregnancy. S canning was conducted by family physician faculty located in two unive rsity settings and one rural private practice. Patients were not requi red to fast prior to the scan. Results. Gallstones were found in 5.3% of the patients, and an additional 3.1% had undergone prior cholecyste ctomy, for an overall incidence of current or previous gallbladder dis ease among 8.4% of the patients. The gallbladder was visualized in 97. 4% of patients without a previous cholecystectomy. In 95.7% of cases, obtaining this additional information required less than 2 minutes. Co nclusions. This study suggests that an evaluation of the maternal gall bladder at the time of obstetric ultrasound scans can be performed rap idly without special patient preparation. The study further suggests t hat obstetric ultrasound skills may allow family physicians to expand their diagnostic use of ultrasound to include gallbladder evaluation. Scanning techniques and the clinical significance of having this infor mation in the patient's medical record arc discussed.