laparotomy
nounEtymology From laparo- + -tomy.
1
Medicine, Sciences, Surgery The surgical procedure for making an incision in the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity. Performed either as exploratory surgery, or as the first step in an abdominal operation.
- Itʼs known as a laparotomy, which involves cutting open your whole abdomen.2021, Dr Philippa Kaye, Doctors Get Cancer Too, Vie Books, page 262:
- Derived terms
- laparotomic, laparotomize, minilaparotomy
- Related terms
- laparoscopy