What is a laparotomy?

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Does anyone know what a laparotomy or an x-lav(sp?) are? these two surgeries have been mentioned numerous times, and both in "All in the Family", when cleo's patient needed surgery but benton didn't want to leave Carter. if anyone knows, i would appreciate it! Erin

-- Erin (googoofoos@hotmail.com), March 21, 2000

Answers

A laporatomy is abdominal surgery. X-lap is short for exploratory laporatomy - what they do when they open up the abdomen not knowing exactly what they will find or what injuries there may be.

-- Sass (bc sassy@aol.com), March 21, 2000.

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