Increasing trends of laparoscopic procedures in non-obstetric surgery during pregnancy over 17 years at a single center: Retrospective case-control study.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the diseases requiring surgery during pregnancy, the changes in surgical methods over time, and the characteristics of surgeries performed in different trimesters.

Methods and materials: A retrospective study conducted at Bundang CHA Hospital between 2006 and 2023 analyzed surgeries performed during pregnancy and compared laparoscopic and open approaches across the three trimesters of pregnancy. Additionally, general (appendicitis, cholecystitis) and gynecologic (heterotopic pregnancy, adnexal torsion) cases were compared.

Results: Among 36 181 delivery patients, 101 (0.28%) underwent surgery. The most common conditions were appendicitis (44.6%), cholecystitis (1.9%), heterotopic pregnancy (23.8%), adnexal torsion (27.7%), and cancer (1.9%). The laparoscopic group had a shorter operative time (41.5 ± 19.3 vs. 57.9 ± 33.9 min, p = 0.009) and hospital stay (4.9 ± 2.7 vs. 9.0 ± 9.8 days, p = 0.016) than open surgery group. Heterotopic pregnancy (47.1%) and adnexal torsion (39.2%) were common in the first trimester, whereas appendicitis peaked in the second (80%) and third trimesters (66.7%). The increasing use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has led to a rise in gynecological patients requiring surgery in the first trimester, resulting in more laparoscopic surgeries during this period. Interestingly, an increase in laparoscopic surgery was also observed in general surgery during the second and third trimesters. Perioperative tocolysis was more frequent (51.1% vs. 3.8%, p < 0.001) and of longer duration (4.6 ± 8.8 vs. 0.1 ± 0.6 days, p = 0.001) after general surgical procedures.

Conclusion: Laparoscopic surgery during pregnancy offers several advantages such as shorter operative time and hospital stay. Since 2011, laparoscopic surgery for the entire gestational period has been on the rise.