Bougie
a smooth, flexible, elastic, slender cylinder, designed to be introduced into the urethra, rectum or œsophagus, in order to open or dilate it in cases of stricture or other diseases. It is formed either solid or hollow, and is sometimes medicated. An armed bougie is one with a piece of caustic fixed at its extremity. When an instrument such as is described supra is made of metal and is inflexible it is called a catheter or sound-the former if hollow and the latter if solid.