What is the primary purpose of lavage in medical treatment?

The primary purpose of lavage in medical treatment is to clean out or irrigate an organ. This process is commonly used to remove unwanted materials such as toxins, debris, or excess fluids from a particular organ or body cavity. For instance, gastric lavage involves flushing out the stomach to clear it of irritants or harmful substances following an overdose or poisoning. By providing a thorough cleansing, lavage helps to restore normal function and may prevent further complications associated with contaminants or harmful accumulations.

The other options address different medical processes: administering medication directly into the bloodstream involves using intravenous techniques, extracting fluids typically refers to procedures like aspiration, and providing nutritional support usually pertains to methods such as enteral or parenteral nutrition. Each of these serves distinct purposes that differ from the cleansing and irrigating function of lavage.