About one person every 10, 000 is born bearer of a particular anomaly, called situs inversus totalis, due to which the thoracic and abdominal organs are in a specular position with respect to the classic structure, reported in every book of human anatomy.
In other words, those affected by this strange condition have their hearts slightly to the right (instead of to the left), the liver is to the left (instead of to the right), the first part of the colon is to the left, the last part of the colon is on the right etc.
But, beyond these changes of position, does the situs inversus totalis also determine particular disorders or symptoms?
Most situs inversus totalis subjects - more precisely about 75-80% - are well and lead a normal life. The remaining 20%, on the other hand, suffer from a particular disease, known as Kartagener's syndrome, which causes ciliary dyskinesia.
Ciliary dyskinesia is an alteration of the movements of the eyelashes present at the level of the respiratory tract, which causes an accumulation of mucus within the latter.
In its turn the mucus, accumulating, predisposes the person suffering from dyskinesia to episodes of bronchitis, bronchiectasis and sinusitis.
