Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy During Pregnancy: A Case Report and Review of Literature in Japan

Herein we report a case of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a 26-year-old pregnant woman with no remarkable medical history. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed at 21 weeks of gestation. To prevent uterus injury, the first trocar was inserted into the right hypochondrium using the open method after marking the site of the uterus via ultrasonography. After confirming the site of the uterus, the second trocar with a balloon was inserted 3 finger widths above the umbilicus. Additional 5-mm trocars were inserted into the epigastric and hypochondrial regions. A good surgical view was obtained with a pneumoperitoneal pressure of 8 mmHg. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was successfully performed without any complications during or after the operation. She had a normal delivery at 39 weeks of gestation. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a viable treatment option during pregnancy, provided there is close consultation and cooperation between obstetricians and anesthesiologists.