Exploratory Laparotomy in the Dog & Cat

Exploratory laparotomy is routinely performed in small animal practice and is indicated when organ dysfunction or trauma involving the abdominal cavity requires definitive diagnosis along with surgical treatment and prognosis.¹ Surgical exploration provides information through inspection, palpation, and/or hollow organ luminal mucosa observation. Samples can be obtained for microbiologic and cytologic examination or biopsy for histopathologic examination. Abdominal exploration should be performed in a timely manner to increase the likelihood of successful diagnosis and management without negatively affecting the patient.

A ventral midline laparotomy of adequate length from xiphoid to the pubis is the standard approach to explore the entire abdominal cavity in a systematic manner. Every surgeon may develop his or her own technique, but a suggested method includes exploring the cranial quadrant (diaphragm; liver, gallbladder, and biliary tree; spleen and stomach; duodenum and pancreas), caudal quadrant (jejunum, ileum, and colon; urinary bladder; urethra and prostate or uterus), right paravertebral region by retracting the mesoduodenum, and left paravertebral region by retracting the mesocolon (kidneys, adrenal glands, ureters, and ovaries).²

What You Will Need

1. Surgical bowl

2. Bulb syringe for irrigation

3. Laparotomy pads

4. 4 x 4” (10.2 cm x 10.2 cm) gauze sponges

5. Monopolar diathermy cable

6. Suction tube

7. Poole suction tip

8. Babcock tissue forceps

9. Allis tissue forceps

10. No 15 and 10 scalpel blades

11. Bard Parker scalpel handle

12. Backhaus towel clamps

13. Curved and straight Metzenbaum scissors

14. Straight Mayo scissors

15. Balfour retractors

16. Debakey tissue forceps

17. Rat-tooth thumb forceps

18. Mayo-Hegar needle holders

19. Straight and curved Rochester-Carmalt hemostatic forceps

20. Straight and curved mosquito hemostatic forceps

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Step 1.

Generously clip and prepare the surgical site, extending cranially to the xiphoid, caudally to the pubis, and over 5 to 10 cm from the ventral midline on either side. Express the bladder through the abdominal wall. 

Author Insight:

Midline laparotomy incision should extend from xiphoid to pubis.

1 / 20

Step 1.

Generously clip and prepare the surgical site, extending cranially to the xiphoid, caudally to the pubis, and over 5 to 10 cm from the ventral midline on either side. Express the bladder through the abdominal wall. 

Author Insight:

Midline laparotomy incision should extend from xiphoid to pubis.