Exploratory laparotomy is surgery to open up the belly area (abdomen). This surgery is done to find the cause of problems (such as belly pain or bleeding) that testing could not diagnose. This surgery uses one large cut (incision). The surgeon can then see and check the organs inside the abdomen. If the cause of the problem is found during the procedure, then treatment is often done at the same time. In some cases, a minimally invasive surgery called exploratory laparoscopy may be used instead. That method uses a camera and several small incisions.
Liver | Large intestine (colon or large bowel) |
Gallbladder | Appendix |
Spleen | Ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus |
Pancreas | Lymph nodes |
Kidneys | Abdominal blood vessels |
Stomach | Membranes that line the abdominal cavity |
Small intestine (small bowel) |
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