Kartagener's syndrome
J. H. Woodring, J. M. Royer and D. McDonagh
Kartagener's syndrome, characterized by situs inversus, paranasal
sinusitis, and bronchiectasis, is part of a more generalized syndrome
characterized by sterility in men, chronic bronchitis or bronchiectasis,
chronic sinusitis, and chronic otitis media; it is referred to as the
immotile-cilia syndrome. Those patients with situs inversus will give a
typical radiological appearance allowing an early diagnosis; however, in
those patients with immotile-cilia syndrome who have normal visceral situs,
a high index of suspicion and early electron microscopic examination of
respiratory tract cilia will be necessary for early diagnosis and therapy
to prevent irreversible bronchiectasis and lung destruction. We describe a
young woman with bronchiectasis associated with situs inversus and chronic
sinusitis, found to have abnormal respiratory epithelium cilia.
