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You’re scrubbing into

Emergency laparotomy

Why are we operating?

The midline answer to peritonitis, obstruction and bleeding: find the problem, control it, and decide how much surgery this patient can afford today.

Indication: Generalised peritonitis, perforated viscus, uncontrolled intra-abdominal bleeding, obstruction with compromise.

The operation in 4 steps

  1. 01Midline entry

  2. 02Systematic exploration

  3. 03Definitive repair or damage control

  4. 04Washout and closure

Watch it done

Find Emergency laparotomy videos on YouTube

Conceptual teaching for learners preparing to observe and assist under supervision, not operative instructions. Five minutes from now you should know why this operation exists, what its shape is, and which structures it is designed not to injure.