Exploratory Laparotomy

An exploratory laparotomy, sometimes called an ex-lap, is a surgical procedure in which the abdomen is opened, typically through a vertical incision down the midline, to examine the internal organs for injury or disease. It is used to manage life-threatening internal injuries after blunt or penetrating trauma, to investigate the cause of illness when a patient presents with multiple unexplained symptoms, and to determine how far certain cancers, such as ovarian cancer or lymphoma, have spread. Because it is often performed as an emergency procedure on badly injured or very sick patients, the operative mortality rate for emergency cases is considerably higher than for procedures scheduled in advance, and recovery can take weeks or months with extended hospitalization.