The course and outcomes of complicated gallstone disease in pregnancy: Experience of a tertiary center

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the course and outcomes of pregnant patients with complicated gallstone disease and to reveal the experience of a tertiary center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 92.567 patients were evaluated using searches for diagnoses with the terms of pregnant, pregnancy, gallstone, cholecystitis, cholangitis, choledocholithiasis, pancreatitis, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in pregnancy in the hospital database. Patients’ age, week of gestation, parity, body mass index, definitive diagnosis, attack episodes, treatment modalities, and obstetric and neonatal complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Overall, 59 women were diagnosed as having complicated gallstone disease in pregnancy. Acute cholecystitis was the most commonly diagnosed complicated gallbladder disease (62.7%). Cholecystectomy was performed in 15 women during gestation. Perinatal outcomes were as follows: one (1.7%) maternal death, 4 (6.8%) preterm deliveries, 5 (8.5%) low-birth-weight fetuses, and 1 (1.7%) missed abortion were encountered. No fetal abnormalities were encountered. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of women experience biliary disease during pregnancy. Herein, we presented our clinical experience because the diagnosis, course, and management of complicated gallstone disease in pregnancy is complicated.