Exploratory Surgery:

is a generic term referring to a type of surgical procedure where a part of the body (usually the abdomen) is opened and explored for purposes of examination, diagnosis, and treatment of certain medical conditions. The particular procedure performed on Heather was an Exploratory Laparotomy, which is a minimally invasive diagnostic technique that accesses the abdomen through a "minimal" incision and then uses a device known as a laproscope, which consists of a fiber-optic camera and light system, to view the interior of the body cavity.