Management of gallbladder stones during pregnancy: Conservative treatment or laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) during pregnan cy is still controversial, we report our experience in the management of 42 pregnant patients suffering from symptomatic gallbladder stones. METHODOLOGY: Between June 1993 and July 1998, we performed 1700 LC's. Durin g this period we dealt with 42 pregnant patients who had symptoms of gallbl adder stones. Following an initial period of conservative management, only 16 patients underwent LC during pregnancy and 26 patients responded to medi cal management and were operated upon later on after delivery. RESULTS: Sixteen patients were operated upon successfully during pregnancy, 2 in the Ist trimester, 10 in the 2nd trimester and 4 in the 3rd trimester . No complications occurred and all patients carried on their pregnancies t o term and delivered healthy babies. CONCLUSIONS: From our experience and from the review of the literature on t his subject, LC during pregnancy is safe, however the indications should be restricted to patients with complications or to those suffering from repea ted and persistent symptoms not responding to medical management.