Gasless laparoscopy under epidural anesthesia for adnexal cysts during pregnancy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate laparoscopic adnexal cystectomy during pregnancy usi ng an open technique with a whole abdominal wall-lift method under epidural anesthesia. STUDY DESIGN: Seven cases of adnexal cysts during pregnancy were resected u sing a gasless laparoscopic (extracorporeal) method with a whole abdominal wall-lift. We performed this procedure without using general anesthesia or CO2 pneumoperitoneum. RESULTS: All operations were performed successfully without complications. All patients resumed normal activity within one week. The subsequent antena tal courses of the patients were uneventful. There were no severe complicat ions during the operations or postoperative courses. Six patients had vagin al deliveries of normal infants at term. No abnormal findings were found in the antenatal course of patient 7 until 30 weeks of gestation, CONCLUSION: Based on our limited experience, this procedure may be safe.