Gastric lavage, also commonly called
stomach pumping or
gastric irrigation, is the process of cleaning out the contents of the
stomach. It has been used for over 200 years as a means of eliminating poisons from the stomach. Such devices are normally used on a person who has ingested a
poison or
overdosed on a
drug such as
alcohol. They may also be used before
surgery, to clear the contents of the
digestive tract before it is opened.