Laparotomy

n. small incision made in the wall of the stomach

A laparotomy is a surgical procedure involving an incision through the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity. It is also known as coeliotomy.In diagnostic laparotomy (most often referred to as an exploratory laparotomy), the nature of the disease is unknown, and laparotomy is deemed the best way to identify the cause. In therapeutic laparotomy, a cause has been identified (e.g. peptic ulcer, colon cancer) and laparotomy is required for its therapy. Usually, only exploratory laparotomy is referred to as a surgical operation by itself; and when a specific operation is already planned, laparotomy is considered merely the first step of the procedure.
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Laparotomy /lap·a·rot·o·my/ incision through the flank or, more generally, through any part of the abdominal wall. lap·a·rot·o·my n. 1. [more]Laparotomy - Community and Resources

Noun
1. surgical incision into the abdominal wall; often done to examine abdominal organs
(hypernym) incision, section, surgical incision
(hyponym) laparoscopy

(n.)
A cutting through the walls of the abdomen, as in the Caesarean section.