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Could laparoscopic appendectomy in pregnant women affect obstetric outcomes? A multicenter study

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare the perioperative and obstetric outcomes of pregnant women between laparoscopic surgery and open surgery and to evaluate the predictive factors for overall obstetric outcomes.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of pregnant women who underwent appendectomy between January 2008 and June 2015 at six hospitals affiliated to Hallym University.

Results

Eighty patients were evaluated. Twenty-four underwent laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) and 56 underwent open appendectomy (OA). There were no significant differences in the patients’ characteristics and gestational age at surgery between the two groups. Operation time, time to flatus, and time to soft food intake were similar in both groups. The length of stay was shorter in the LA group than in the OA group (5.1 vs 8.1 days, P = 0.044). Gestational age at delivery, birth weight, and delivery type were similar in both groups. There was no significant difference in overall obstetric poor outcome (20.8 vs 14.3 %, P = 0.516), including preterm delivery (8.3 vs 7.1 %, P = 1.000) and fetal loss (12.5 vs 7.1 %, P = 0.350). Multivariable analysis revealed that fever >38 °C (P = 0.022) and maternal age (P = 0.044) were independent predictors for the overall poor outcomes.

Conclusions

LA was associated with shorter length of stay compared with OA, but perioperative and obstetric outcomes were similar with both procedures. LA can be safely performed in pregnant women in any trimester.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Hallym University Research Fund 2015(HURF-2015-44).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, 40, Sukwoo-Dong, Hwaseong-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, 445-170, Republic of Korea

    Kwon Cheol Yoo, Kyung Ho Pak & Jong Wan Kim

  2. Department of Surgery, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, 445 Gil-1-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, 134-701, Republic of Korea

    Jun Ho Park

  3. Department of Surgery, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, 948-1, Daerim-1 Dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, 150-950, Republic of Korea

    Kwang Yong Kim & Byung Chun Kim

  4. Department of Surgery, Hallym Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, 896 Pyeongchon-dong, Dongan-gu, Anyang, 431-070, Republic of Korea

    Bong Hwa Lee

Authors
  1. Kwon Cheol Yoo
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  2. Jun Ho Park
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  3. Kyung Ho Pak
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  4. Kwang Yong Kim
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  7. Jong Wan Kim
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jong Wan Kim.

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The study was approved by the ethical review board at Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Yoo, K.C., Park, J.H., Pak, K.H. et al. Could laparoscopic appendectomy in pregnant women affect obstetric outcomes? A multicenter study. Int J Colorectal Dis 31, 1475–1481 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-016-2584-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-016-2584-8

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