Definition of Laparotomy

Laparotomy: An operation to open the abdomen.

The word "laparotomy" was first used to designate this operation in 1878 by an English surgeon, Thomas Bryant. The word has an interesting derivation. It was compounded from Greek roots "lapara" referring to "the soft parts of the body between the rib cage and the hips" and "tome" meaning "a cutting" = a cutting into that area.