Final answer:
Laparotomy is the term that refers to an incision into the abdominal cavity, performed for various surgical interventions within the abdomen.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that means incision into the abdominal cavity is laparotomy. Laparotomy is a surgical procedure where an incision is made in the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity. This is often done for diagnostic purposes or to perform surgeries such as removing a damaged organ or repairing a perforated intestine. It is distinctly different from the term ‘vagotomy’, which refers to the cutting of the vagus nerve to reduce acid secretion in the stomach; ‘pyloromyotomy’, which is surgical incision into the outer layer of the pyloric sphincter to correct pyloric stenosis; and ‘gastrectomy’, which is the removal of all or part of the stomach.