A bougie tube is a flexible medical device used to assist in procedures involving the airway or esophagus. In airway management, it is commonly used during difficult intubations to guide an endotracheal tube into the trachea. The bougie is inserted first into the airway, and once it is correctly positioned, the endotracheal tube is slid over the bougie and into place.
Bougie tubes are also used in gastrointestinal procedures to dilate or examine the esophagus. They come in various sizes and degrees of flexibility depending on the specific medical application. Bougie tubes are essential tools in emergency medicine, anesthesia, and gastroenterology.