The washing out or irrigation of a body cavity, organ, or wound with fluid to remove unwanted material, toxins, or debris. This therapeutic procedure can be performed on various body parts including the stomach, lungs, or peritoneal cavity.
From French 'lavage' meaning 'washing,' derived from Latin 'lavare' meaning 'to wash.' The medical application emerged in the 19th century as physicians recognized the therapeutic value of washing out infected or contaminated body cavities.
Gastric lavage can literally be the difference between life and death in poisoning cases, but it must be done within an hour of ingestion to be effective! The procedure involves pumping up to 20 liters of fluid in and out of the stomach to remove toxic substances.
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