ballottement

(bə lätmənt)

noun

Med. a technique for palpating internal organs, tumors, etc., as to check for pregnancy or a floating kidney

Origin: Fr < ballotter, to toss < ballotte: see ballot

See ballottement in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
Medicine
A palpatory technique for detecting or examining a floating object in the body, as:
a. The use of a finger to push sharply against the uterus and detect the presence or position of a fetus by its return impact.
b. Palpation of the abdominal wall while a kidney is being pushed sharply from the backside, used as a test for determining the presence of a floating kidney.

Origin:

Origin: French

Origin: , from ballotter, to toss

Origin: , from Italian ballotta

Origin: , diminutive of dialectal balla, ball; see balloon

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