American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) Registry Practice Exam

Incision is the correct choice because it refers specifically to the surgical procedure that involves cutting into body tissue or organs to create an opening. This is often done to access a specific area within the body for diagnostic, therapeutic, or surgical purposes. An incision is a fundamental technique used in various surgical procedures to allow for direct visualization or intervention in a cavity.

In the context of the other options: exploration, while it relates to examining the internal structures of the body, it usually follows an incision to investigate or confirm a diagnosis. Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that uses small incisions, often combined with a camera for visualization, but it does not represent the broader concept of "surgical opening" as an incision does. Surgery is a general term that encompasses a variety of procedures, including incisions; however, it does not specifically define the action of opening a cavity. Therefore, incision most accurately describes the procedure that focuses directly on creating a surgical opening within the body.