Harris flush
Encyclopedia
A Harris flush is a type of enema
aimed to evacuate flatus
from a patient who has undergone surgery
. It differs from other enemas in that it is not retained by the patient but removed shortly after insertion. It is also intended to remove flatus as opposed to other enemas, which are principally to remove stool.
A tube is passed into the rectum
and sterile water is flushed into the colon
and then aspirated through the same tube. This is often accomplished by gravity: the nurse slowly raising, then lowering, the enema bag while it remains connected to the hose, whose nozzle remains in the patient's rectum. The procedure is repeated several times. The procedure, like other type of enemas, is prescribed by a physician order. A container with a connecting tube is required. Additional necessities are lubricant, gloves, and eye protection, as the evacuation of flatus may occasionally be explosive.
Enema
An enema is the procedure of introducing liquids into the rectum and colon via the anus. The increasing volume of the liquid causes rapid expansion of the lower intestinal tract, often resulting in very uncomfortable bloating, cramping, powerful peristalsis, a feeling of extreme urgency and...
aimed to evacuate flatus
Flatulence
Flatulence is the expulsion through the rectum of a mixture of gases that are byproducts of the digestion process of mammals and other animals. The medical term for the mixture of gases is flatus, informally known as a fart, or simply gas...
from a patient who has undergone surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
. It differs from other enemas in that it is not retained by the patient but removed shortly after insertion. It is also intended to remove flatus as opposed to other enemas, which are principally to remove stool.
A tube is passed into the rectum
Rectum
The rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in some mammals, and the gut in others, terminating in the anus. The human rectum is about 12 cm long...
and sterile water is flushed into the colon
Colon (anatomy)
The colon is the last part of the digestive system in most vertebrates; it extracts water and salt from solid wastes before they are eliminated from the body, and is the site in which flora-aided fermentation of unabsorbed material occurs. Unlike the small intestine, the colon does not play a...
and then aspirated through the same tube. This is often accomplished by gravity: the nurse slowly raising, then lowering, the enema bag while it remains connected to the hose, whose nozzle remains in the patient's rectum. The procedure is repeated several times. The procedure, like other type of enemas, is prescribed by a physician order. A container with a connecting tube is required. Additional necessities are lubricant, gloves, and eye protection, as the evacuation of flatus may occasionally be explosive.