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

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) during pregnancy 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. During this period we dealt with 42 pregnant patients who had symptoms of gallbladder stones. Following an initial period of conservative management, only 16 patients underwent LC during pregnancy and 26 patients responded to medical 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 to term and delivered healthy babies. CONCLUSIONS: From our experience and from the review of the literature on this subject, LC during pregnancy is safe, however the indications should be restricted to patients with complications or to those suffering from repeated and persistent symptoms not responding to medical management.