Exploratory Surgery

Exploratory surgery is performed to determine the cause of unexplained symptoms such as severe abdominal pain or bleeding that can't be fully evaluated through other diagnostic techniques such as imaging studies and percutaneous biopsy. This surgery allows your physician to directly visualize internal structures and organs such as the abdomen, pelvis, fallopian tubes, ovaries, uterus, small bowel, large bowel, appendix, liver, and gallbladder. Exploratory surgery is usually done in the hospital or outpatient surgical center under general anesthesia, and it can be performed using either a traditional, "open" approach or via minimally invasive laparotomy. It can aid in the diagnosis of conditions that require immediate treatment such as cancer, infection and abdominal injuries sustained due to trauma.