Purpose: Since the start of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a debate about its use in the gravid patient has remained controversial. Concerns about the morbidity and mortality in the mother and fetus through all trimesters have been expressed. The objective of this retrospective review was to further evaluate the safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the pregnant patient.
Methods: At Covenant Health Care-Cooper Campus and Harrison Campus in Saginaw, Michigan, 10 cholecystectomies in pregnant patients were performed from 1995 to April 1998. Eight of these patients were done with laparoscopy, and 2 were done through the open technique.
Results: No mortality or significant morbidity occurred in the laparoscopic group. However, the open group did have a fetal mortality.
Conclusions: Our study showed that laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed safely in the pregnant patient in the first 2 trimesters. This is consistent with the findings in the current world literature.