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Instruments designed for mechanically enlarging, frequently augmenting the diameter (caliber) of external orifices and/or other anatomic structures (ducts) of the body. These instruments may consist of a variety of common devices (e.g., bougies, specula, balloon catheters, stents), according to the procedure to be performed and the part of the body to be enlarged. Dedicated dilators are available for examination or treatment of body cavities (e.g., nostrils, vagina, rectum), or for use during surgical procedures on internal ducts (e.g., bile duct, heart valves).
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