Indications for Exploratory Surgery

Generally, the chief indication for exploratory abdominal surgery is an increasing amount of abdominal pain accompanied by loss of weight or changes in eating habits. Roentgenographic studies and clinical symptoms sometimes are misleading and result in erroneous diagnoses of abdominal conditions.

Surgical exploration frequently reveals unsuspected diverticula, benign lesions simulating malignant ones, scirrhous carcinoma, ulcers, or various biliary disorders.

Abdominal exploration is accompanied by minimal risk. In the author's experience, this procedure has revealed the presence of a lesion in 50 per cent of cases.