Surgery when pregnant.

[Naetha]

Unfortunately, due to a problem with my gall bladder and excessive numbers of gall stones, I need my gall bladder removing fairly immediately.

I'm 12+5 and the operation is due for when I'll be 14+6. It'll involve general anaesthetic and keyhole surgery in my upper abdomen (think under your lowest right hand rib).

The risks although present, are small. There is a small risk of miscarriage but I am having the op done at the best time (just after the 1st Trimester). The consultant who is doing it is confident and says he has done it before in pregnant women with great success.

Unfortunately its not the sort of operation that can be postponed until after I give birth. My gall bladder is swollen and constantly tender which is bearable at the moment, but as soon as bump gets bigger it will start to get very painful, so it needs to come out sooner rather than later.

Has anyone else here undergone fairly major surgery while pregnant?

Anyone got any tips or advice? My mum is coming up to look after me for the week after the op as well

Bump

Although I know there can't be that many pregnant women who've had major operations!

Hi Naetha, I haven't had to have surgery in my pg but it was on the cards at one stage. Don't have much to add but just wanted to wish you well. You seem to have all the right information. I would just talk through with the anaesthetist and also your obstetrician or an obstetric physician to make sure all the right precautions are taken (e.g. do they want to monitor the baby?). I would find out if whoever is your anaesthetist has given a GA to a pg woman before and knows what's what. I'm sure he or she has and does but just pointing out anaesthetist as important as the surgeon on this. My obstetric lot deal with lots of women who have to have surgery and they're pretty relaxed about it. You'll get extra special care because of being pg. All the very best to you - Great your mum's coming up - you'll need and deserve a good rest afterwards!

PS: Just wanted to add though it was something I had to think about at one stage I'm no expert - my thoughts are just the sorts of things I'd be wanting to do/know in your position. Good luck!

Naetha.
Sorry you're having so much bother with your gallbladder. I was lucky enough to be given the option of having it while pg or waiting until after the birth.
Just wanted you to know you're not alone in having this prob while pg. My consultant also told me that it was safe to have the op just after the end of the first trimester.
I found a v useful website/forum. I;ll see if I can find it later on this eve.

Hi Naetha, Never had surgery while pregnant but I am a surgical registrar so might be able to help a little!

If you are having a lot of problems with your gallbladder I would agree that you should get it done. Gallstones cause no / minimal probs for some people but can cause serious infections as I'm sure you are aware. If you were unlucky enough to have a problem while you were pregnant this could be a lot more harmful to your baby than the procedure done while you are well.

I would say though that its probably more important to chat with the anaesthetist - this doesn't need to be done before you go in but make sure that they come and see you before the operation.

If the op goes as planned and they can do through keyhole surgery (there is about a 5% chance that this won't be possible and they need to do the traditional open operation which involves a cut under the rib cage on the right) you should be pretty well back to normal in 2 weeks. With the more major op it would be more like 6 weeks. As far as I know your pregnancy doesn't make it more / less likely that they will be able to do the keyhole surgery. If you have had previous operations this can make it less likely and also if you have had lots of nasty infections in your gallbladder this MAY make it more tricky. Sure your consultant has been through all this but if you have anymore questions feel free to CAT me - would be happy to give you anymore info.

Good luck!!!

Hi Naetha

I had the same op last year. Wasn't pregnant at the time but it was a piece of cake TBH. the op iteself was very quick apparently (only off the ward for about an hour) and then groggy for a couple of hours after. I was home the same day and pretty much back to normal in 2 days, jsut a bit tender. Had had a pretty horrendous time previously with a blocked bile duct followed by pancreatitis which required morphine and took me 3 weeks to recover from. My advice would be if your surgeons confident then so should you be. As alicet said, the consequences if it all flares up could be quite nasty.

Good luck with op and pregnancy.

Thanks ever so much for the reassurances guys - really appreciated! And thank you for the view from the other side Alicet!

I would have been very tempted to leave the op until after the birth, but recently its been flaring up again and is giving constant me constant gyp. The worst it has been was in march where I also had a blocked bile duct and although it wasn't as serious as yours Pheebe, I was in hospital for over a week and off work for 3. The morphine was great though lol!

I'll make sure I have a good long chat with the anaethsetist(sp?) befor the op. I am having it done privately (God bless work-provided BUPA care!) so hopefully the level of pre- and post-operative care should be higher.

I'll let you all know how it goes after the op!

OO one other thing naetha, I could feel the clip (or wotever it was) under my ribs for a few months after the op, not painful just irritating. doc said it was possible I'd be able to feel it again while pregnant depending on where bub decides to lie/kick so don't let that worry you

{{{{{{naetha}}}}}}} good luck

I think piffle might have had to have her appendix removed during her last pregnancy (or am I imagining that?)
Good luck Naetha - just focus on how much better you will feel after the op

Hi, I had a massive pancreatic attack and passed out when I was 6 months pregnant. I booked an emergency appointment at the Doctor's, but when I got there my appointment was with a nurse who told me it was indigestion and gave me a prescription!

The next attack I had was whilst in labour which wasn't fun, so I really recommend getting it out asap. I had another attack when my baby was 2 weeks old (Christmas Eve of all days!), when I was rushed into hospital and they diagnosed the correct illness. I had pancreatitis and liver failure because it got so bad but I wasn't able to have my gall bladder out for another 2 months because my bloods were so abnormal. Therefore I wouldn't recommend delaying it. Fortunately, a year on, I am now fully recovered.

i had gall stones while pg but had mine removed after baby was born that was the option i was given, but let me tell you that when i was in labour i was really calm as the pain i had been having from gall stones was worst than giving birth so i wish you well and hope all goes ok with op and baby. you will be fine if i could have had it done whilst pg to prevent all the horrible pains i had i would have had it done.let us know how you get on xxx

Has the surgeon mentioned the possibility of needing x-rays during the surgery?

It is fairly common to perform a per-operative cholangiogram when having a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (real time xrays using dye to check that there are no gallstones left behind to block the ducts whilst having a keyhole gallbladder removal).

I have been asked before to discuss this with a woman who was 2nd trimester and we worked out a way of positioning her on the table with lead shielding covering the baby as much as possible, but still giving us access to the area where we needed to see.

You obviously need the op, but if stones are left behind and blocking things it can cause pacreatitis and jaundice. If x-rays are necessary, ask your surgeon to ensure that they are using the most up-to-date fluoroscopy equipment (lowest radiation dose) and that an experienced radiographer who knows you are pregnant is doing the business as they will make sure that everything is done to minimise the radiation dose.

Oops, just read that this was posted in June. Hope everything went OK. Has your little one arrived yet?