Possible Complications

What to Expect

Call Your Doctor

En Español

Exploratory Laparotomy

(Abdominal Exploration; Laparotomy, Exploratory)

How to Say It: LAP-uh-ROT-uh-mee

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA

Definition

Exploratory laparotomy is an open surgery of the belly to view the organs and tissue inside.

Abdominal Organs, Anterior View

Reasons for Procedure

This surgery is done to find the cause of problems, such as:

A hole in the bowel wall
Ectopic pregnancy—pregnancy outside of the uterus
Endometriosis
Appendicitis
Damage to an organ from trauma
Infection in the abdomen

The surgery may also be done to stage cancer or to biopsy the area.

Possible Complications

Problems are rare, but all procedures have some risk. The doctor will go over some problems that could happen, such as:

Excess bleeding
Problems from anesthesia, such as wheezing or sore throat
Infection
Blood clots
Damage to organs
Hernia

Things that may raise the risk of problems are:

Smoking
Drinking
Chronic diseases, such as diabetes or obesity

What to Expect

Prior to Procedure

The surgical team may meet with you to talk about:

Anesthesia options
Any allergies you may have
Current medicines, herbs, and supplements that you take and whether you need to stop taking them before surgery
Fasting before surgery, such as avoiding food or drink after midnight the night before
Arranging for a ride to and from surgery
Specialists you may need to see
Tests that will need to be done before surgery, such as imaging tests

Anesthesia

You may be given:

General anesthesia—you will be asleep
Spinal anesthesia—the area from the chest down to the legs will be numbed

Description of the Procedure

A long incision will be made in the skin on the belly. The organs will be viewed for signs of health problems. The doctor may take a biopsy of tissue for testing. Any problem that can be repaired or removed will be done. The opening will be closed using staples or stitches. A bandage will be placed over the area.

How Long Will It Take?

About 1 to 4 hours

Will It Hurt?

Pain and swelling are common in the first few weeks. Medicine and home care can help.

Average Hospital Stay

You will be in the hospital several days. If you have problems, you may need to stay longer.

Post-procedure Care

At the Hospital

Right after the procedure, the staff may give you medicine to treat pain.

During your stay, staff will take steps to lower your chance of infection, such as:

Washing their hands
Wearing gloves or masks
Keeping your incisions covered

You can also lower your chance of infection by:

Washing your hands often and reminding visitors and staff to do the same
Reminding staff to wear gloves or masks
Not letting others touch your incisions

At Home

It may take several weeks for the incision and muscles to heal. Activities will be limited for the first few weeks.

Call Your Doctor

Call the doctor if you are not getting better or you have:

Signs of infection, such as fever and chills
Redness, swelling, excessive bleeding, or any discharge from the incision
Pain that is not helped by medicine
A belly that is hard or swollen
Diarrhea or constipation that lasts more than three days
Bright red or dark black stools
Lightheadedness or fainting
Lasting nausea and vomiting
Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain
Problems urinating
Leg swelling, redness, or pain

If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.

RESOURCES:

American Cancer Society
https://www.cancer.org

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
https://www.niddk.nih.gov

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Canadian Digestive Health Foundation
http://www.cdhf.ca

Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca

References:

Abdominal exploration. Mount Sinai website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed August 13, 2020.

Hildebrand DR, Ben-Sassi A, et al. Modern management of splenic trauma. BMJ. 2014 Apr 2;348:g1864.

Laparotomy. Better Health Channel website. Available at: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/laparotomy. Accessed August 13, 2020.

Splenic injury and rupture. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/splenic-injury-and-rupture. Accessed August 14, 2020.

3/23/2015 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillance https://www.dyname...: Short V, Herbert G, Perry R, et al. Chewing gum for postoperative recovery of gastrointestinal function. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;2:CD006506.

Last reviewed March 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board James P. Cornell, MD
Last Updated: 3/3/2021

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