Surgical incisions

thumb | right | Laparotomy scar (the incision circled the umbilicus to the left so as to avoid damaging the round ligament of liver). A laparotomy is a surgical procedure involving a surgical incision through the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity. It is also known as a celiotomy.

A thoracotomy is a surgical procedure that involves cutting open the chest wall to gain access into the pleural cavity. It is mostly performed by specialist cardiothoracic surgeons, although emergency physicians or paramedics occasionally also perform the procedure under life-threatening circumstances.

incision in the sternum

procedure to surgically correct refractive errors in the eye, by cutting radial slits into the cornea to change its refractive properties