The optimal method to determine the need for laparotomy has yet to be definitively established. Abdominal stab wound exploration forms a part of strategy developed by surgeons to allow a more selective approach. Laparoscopy remains debatable regarding its optimum role in the setting of penetrating abdominal trauma, although it can offer advantages over traditional local wound exploration. Nevertheless, laparoscopy can be a screening, diagnostic and therapeutic tool in penetrating abdominal trauma thus, reducing the incidence of unnecessary laparotomy. Patients And Methods: a comparative prospective study that was conducted in Kasr El-Ainy Hospital and initiated in April 1, 2013. It included 60 patients with penetrating abdominal trauma (stab wound, and gunshot wounds), and were hemodynamically stable. Thirty out of sixty patients were subjected to Local wound exploration (LWE) with or without laparotomy in correlation with serial physical examination, ultrasonography and CT scan. The other thirty patients were subjected to laparoscopic exploration and managed either by therapeutic laparoscopy or by conversion to laparotomy according to findings. Results: Local wound exploration; six patients (20%) were negative. 24(80%) were positive and proceeded to Laparotomy; Seventeen of which (56.7%) underwent non-therapeutic laparotomy. Laparoscopic Exploration; Twelve out of Thirty cases (40%) showed negative exploration and was discharged within 24 hours. Ten cases (33.3%) were converted to laparotomy and managed accordingly. Eight cases (26.7%) were managed laparoscopically according to the findings. Conclusion: Exploratory laparoscopy applied to carefully selected hemodynamically stable penetrating trauma patients proved to be safe and technically feasible. It also reduced the negative and non-therapeutic laparotomies and offered profound therapeutic potential and cost effectiveness.