Laparotomy

What is a Laparotomy?

A laparotomy is a type of abdominal exploratory surgery. Patients that are presenting with peritoneal effusion that have a past history of asbestos exposure may be recommended for a laparotomy. This will allow the doctor to examine the abdominal organs more closely to try to find an explanation for the fluid buildup. If it appears that mesothelioma may be present a biopsy may also be performed on the abnormal tissue or fluid. The sample will then be sent to a lab for further testing and diagnosis. Laparotomy can also help doctors with staging the disease, i.e. determining how far it has progressed and is useful when other less invasive procedures cannot conclusively identify the source of the symptoms.

What to Expect if Your Doctor Recommends a Laparotomy

A laparotomy is done in a hospital under general anesthesia. The surgeon will make an incision through the abdominal skin and underlying fascia. Once the abdominal cavity has been opened up the surgeon begins examining the various organs to identify signs of infection, disease or cancer. If abnormalities are identified, he/she may biopsy the tissue and/or surrounding fluid. If obvious malignancies are found, the surgeon may continue on with emergency surgery on the spot. If not, he/she will close the incision by stitching the muscle, fascia and skin. Many patients will be able to leave the hospital after one or two days. Those who had surgery or experienced complications will have a longer stay.

Risks Associated with Laparotomy

The risks of this surgery involve possible reaction to the anesthesia as well as risk of infection or bleeding. In addition, there is a risk of damage to abdominal organs and hernia caused by the incision.

Sources

MedlinePlus – U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002928.htm

Encyclopedia of Surgery
http://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/La-Pa/Laparotomy-Exploratory.html