Lavement, also known as enema, is a medical procedure which involves injecting fluid into the rectum for therapeutic purposes such as cleansing the bowel or clearing fecal impactions. There are various synonyms for the word lavement including colonic irrigation, rectal infusion, rectal washout, intestinal wash, or rectal douche. These synonyms are often used interchangeably in medical literature, but each has a slightly different connotation. Colonic irrigation, for example, refers to the introduction of large volumes of water into the colon. While rectal infusion may refer to the administration of medication through the rectum. Regardless of the synonym used, the procedure itself plays an important role in maintaining a healthy digestive system.