Gallbladder stones during pregnancy: are we doing the right thing in Mexico?

Objective: To present the treatment of choice and approach in pregnant and postpartum women with a diagnosis of gallstones in Mexico and to compare it with the recommendations of international guidelines.

Method: Observational, descriptive, and retrospective study based on information from the 2019 Dynamic Cubes database of pregnant women diagnosed with cholecystitis and/or cholelithiasis who had undergone cholecystectomy.

Results: During 2019, 937 patients with cholelithiasis and cholecystitis were registered, 516 (55%) pregnant and 421 (45%) in puerperium. 91.47% of cases were managed with medical treatment and 8.53% with cholecystectomy, with predominance in the open approach in 63.75% of cases. Mortality was nil in both groups.

Conclusions: Despite current international guidelines recommending early laparoscopic cholecystectomy in pregnant or puerperal women, in Mexico medical treatment, delayed cholecystectomy and its open approach are still privileged.