Laparotomy

Excerpt

The word laparotomy is derived from the Greek words lapara, meaning flank, and tomy, meaning cut. In surgical practice, this translates to a big cut in the abdomen to gain access to the peritoneal cavity. Usually, a standard laparotomy is a cut made in the midline along the linea alba. In the United Kingdom, this is a common procedure with approximately 30,000 to 50,000 performed annually.