bougie

(boo′zhē )

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[Fr. bougie, candle]
A slender, flexible, tapered instrument used to explore, secure, or dilate tube-shaped organs, such as the esophagus, trachea, or male urethra.

PATIENT CARE
Typically, a narrow diameter bougie is inserted into a stricture in the organ first, followed by instruments of larger and larger diameter until the organ's internal lumen expands.

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