n. a hollow or solid cylindrical instrument, usually flexible, that is inserted into tubular passages, such as the oesophagus (gullet), rectum, or urethra. Bougies are used in diagnosis and treatment, particularly by enlarging *stricture(s) (for example, in the urethra).
Solid instruments for introduction into natural passages in the body – in order either to apply medicaments which they contain or with which they are coated, or, more usually, to dilate a narrow part or stricture of the passage. Thus we have, for example, urethral bougies, oesophageal bougies and rectal bougies, made usually of ?exible rubber or, in the case of the urethra, of steel.... bougies
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