Professional
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
second-look laparotomy
A planned re-exploration of the abdomen within 24-48 hours to assess tissue viability and remove nonviable tissue.
Full Definition
A scheduled return to the operating room for abdominal re-exploration, typically performed 24-48 hours after initial damage control surgery. This procedure allows surgeons to reassess tissue viability, remove any necrotic bowel or other organs, and perform definitive repairs once the patient is more stable. It is a cornerstone of damage control surgery protocols and differs from unplanned returns to the OR due to complications.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenated when used as a compound adjective before a noun.
In Context
- "The patient underwent damage control surgery with planned second-look laparotomy in 48 hours." — operative report
- "During the second-look laparotomy, 15 cm of necrotic small bowel was resected." — surgical note
Also known as
planned re-exploration
staged laparotomy
Contrasted with
primary repair
single-stage procedure
Don't confuse with
washout procedure
exploratory laparotomy