bridging

bridging

Etymology: AS, brycg

1 a nursing technique of positioning a patient so that bony prominences are free of pressure on the mattress by using pads, bolsters of foam rubber, or pillows to distribute body weight over a larger surface.

2 a nursing technique for supporting a part of the body, such as the testicles in treating orchitis, using a Bellevue bridge made of a towel or other material.

3 a physical rehabilitation technique that strengthens abdominal and leg muscles. Reclining with knees bent, the patient plants the feet on a firm surface and lifts the buttocks off the surface.

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bridging

Cardiology A term for the systolic narrowing of the left anterior descending coronary artery seen by angiography as an isolated finding during cardiac catheterization or in Pts with CAD, left ventricular hypertrophy or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Cf Rattail, Sawfish patterns TraumatologyThe 'spanning' of breaks in the skin by blood vessels, seen after a blunt object strikes tightened skin, rupturing the epidermis and dermis while blood vessels–being more mobile–remain intact, 'bridging' the gap.