Tag: Esophageal dilation

The word "bougie" is a French word that originally meant "candle," derived from the town of Bugia, an exporter of wax. In medicine, however, it has a completely different and vital definition, referring to a slender, flexible instrument used to explore, dilate, or guide tubes into passages of the body, offering a comprehensive answer to the question: What does bougie mean in medical terms?.

A bougie, or endotracheal tube introducer, has been shown to significantly increase first-pass success rates during intubation in difficult airways, with one randomized trial demonstrating a 96% success rate versus 82% with a traditional stylet. So, what are the indications for a bougie in its various forms, and for which medical procedures is this versatile tool used?