What is irrigation in medical term is?

In medical terms, irrigation refers to the process of washing or flushing a body cavity or wound with a liquid solution to cleanse, remove debris, or administer medication. It is commonly used for various medical and surgical procedures.

When used as a medical term, irrigation can be performed in various contexts, such as:

1. Wound Irrigation: It involves flushing a wound with sterile saline solution or other appropriate solutions to remove dirt, contaminants, and bacteria, helping to prevent infection and promote healing.

2. Bladder Irrigation: In urology, bladder irrigation is performed to cleanse the bladder and remove debris or blood clots. It can also be used to administer medications directly into the bladder.

3. Eye Irrigation: This is done to clean the eye and remove foreign particles, debris, or contaminants. It helps in treating eye infections and preventing complications.

4. Ear Irrigation: Irrigation of the ear canal is performed to remove excessive earwax, debris, or foreign objects. This can be done using a specialized ear irrigation device.

5. Sinus Irrigation: Used in treating sinus infections, sinus irrigation involves flushing the nasal passages and sinuses with saline solutions to clear congestion, remove allergens, and reduce inflammation.

6. Irrigation of Body Cavities: Irrigation may be used to cleanse various body cavities, such as the abdomen (during surgery), the pleural cavity (in cases of pleural effusion), and the peritoneal cavity (during peritoneal dialysis).

Irrigation procedures are typically performed by trained healthcare professionals, and the type of solution used and the technique employed will depend on the specific medical condition and the body area being irrigated.