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Dictionary:

laparotomy

  (lăp'ə-rŏt'ə-mē) pronunciation
n., pl. -mies.

Surgical incision into the abdominal wall, especially into the flank.

[Greek laparā, flank; see laparoscope + –TOMY.]


 
 
Dental Dictionary: laparotomy

n

Any surgical incision into the peritoneal cavity, usually performed under general or regional anesthesia, often on an exploratory basis.

 

Incision through the flank or, more generally, through any part of the abdominal wall.

  • exploratory l. — for the purpose of physically examining the contents of the peritoneal cavity.
  • l. grid — see grid incision.


 
Wikipedia: laparotomy
Intervention:
Laparotomy
ICD-10 code:
ICD-9 code: 54.1
Other codes:

A laparotomy is a surgical procedure involving an incision through the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity. It is also known as coeliotomy.

In diagnostic laparotomy (most often referred to as an exploratory laparotomy), the nature of the disease is unknown, and laparotomy is deemed the best way to identify the cause. In therapeutic laparotomy, a cause has been identified (e.g. peptic ulcer, colon cancer) and laparotomy is required for its therapy. Usually, only exploratory laparotomy is referred to as a surgical operation by itself; and when a specific operation is already planned, laparotomy is considered merely the first step of the procedure.

Depending on incision placement, it may give access to any abdominal organ or space, and is the first step in any major diagnostic or therapeutic surgical procedure of these organs, which include:

Types of incisions

The most common incision for laparotomy is the midline incision, a vertical incision which follows the linea alba. The upper midline incision usually extends from the xiphoid process to the umbilicus, while a typical lower midline incision is limited by the umbilicus superiorly and by the pubic symphysis inferiorly. Sometimes a single incision extending from xiphoid process to pubic symphysis is employed, especially in trauma surgery. Midline incisions are particularly favoured in diagnostic laparotomy, as they allow wide access to most of the abdominal cavity.

Other common laparotomy incisions include:

Related procedures

A related procedure is laparoscopy, where cameras and other instruments are inserted into the peritoneal cavity via small holes in the abdomen. For example, an appendectomy can be done either by a laparotomy or by a laparoscopic approach.


 
 

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Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Dental Dictionary. Mosby's Dental Dictionary. Copyright © 2004 by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Veterinary Dictionary. The Veterinary Dictionary. Copyright © 2007 by Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Laparotomy" Read more

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