Posted on 08/27/2019 7:02:11 AM PDT by BenLurkin
When students at the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) in Portland dissected the cadaver of the 99-year-old woman, they found that her liver and abdominal organs were transposed — as if flipped across a vertical axis — though her heart was oriented normally, on the left side, OHSU representatives said in a statement.
This is known as "situs inversus with levocardia," and it affects about 1 in 22,000 births, according to OHSU. But unlike most who have this rare condition, the woman experienced no ill effects during her lifetime...
When the students working on Bentley's body opened up her chest cavity, "they found blood vessels around the heart that were different in orientation," Walker said. He and his colleagues checked the heart, but it didn't seem to have any defects.
In many cases of situs inversus, all of the organs — including the heart — are transposed, and people typically experience no associated health problems, the NIH says.
AMS receives about 55 donated cadavers each year, "and 1 out of 10 will have some significant departure from what is considered typical anatomy," Ritter told Live Science.
For example, certain small muscles in the forearm and the lower leg sometimes aren't there at all, Ritter said. Branching patterns in arteries can also show tremendous variation, which can be confusing and frustrating for students trying to reconcile what they've seen in textbook illustrations with what's on the table in front of them...
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
A lot have Leftists also have their heart in the right place. It’s the polices they follow that could easily lead this country into civil war.
I wouldn’t have the heart to tell her.
I’ve never even heard of this.
the 99-year-old woman...
It’s a shame she had this condition or she may have lived to a ripe old age.
It is a congenital defect, known as Situs Inversus. Gene linkage to the condition is well mapped and understood. Quite rare. From embryonic early cell lines the embryo grows in reverse to what is considered “normal” anterior/posterior axis line. It is not unhealthful— and people live to an old age with the same risk factors. This woman was 99 y.o. when she passed away.
“the woman experienced no ill effects during her lifetime...” Finally killed her at age 99. If only she had known.
Gross Anatomy is perhaps the most priveledged study a human can be allowed to pursue. Every Medical Student simply must realize this is the attitude everyone allowed to pursue simply must have. If a person cannot treat the dead with dignity it is probably a pretty good indication of how they will interact with the living. The “Manual of Human Dissection” lists most of the variable presentations. Students routinely encounter these things and even make sure their fellow students can see them. The proctors LOVE to use them on practical exams. If one excels in their study of embryology you begin to understand how these variations come about.
When you dissect another human being you get to know their body much better than they ever did.
Looks like it shortened her lifespan significantly.
When I was in medical school, the Attending of our General Surgery Clerkship was to undergo surgery for an appendicitis.
He was going to do it under local anesthesia so the chief resident doing the surgery could converse with him during the surgery, and the rest of us could watch and learn.
When we got into the General Surgeon’s abdomen, the chief resident could NOT locate the appendix.
After about ten minutes the patient, (General Surgeon) got so upset, he started screaming at the chief resident, and had the rest of us try to find it. WE couldn’t. When it was my turn, my hand was shaking like crazy.
Eventually, he himself put on a sterile glove and tried to locate the appendix himself, to no avail.
After about 30 minutes, we convinced him to go under general anesthesia, thinking his bowels were in some spasm.
Eventually we found the appendix on the left side. Like the cadaver in this article, he was 1 out of 22,000 with his organs reversed.
Consider what a marvelous learning experience this woman provided those medical students instead of just having her remains buried or cremated. Both my wife and I are donating our bodies to a medical school. I’m hoping to give the students a few surprises including exploring a mysterious spot on one lung that has baffled my doctors for years.
I have seen it before. It throws you for a loop, for sure.
Who examined him preop? Was there rebound tenderness in the right lower quadrant (McBurney’s point)?
As I recall, his pain was mid abdomen. Frequently, an acute appendicitis starts mid abdomen, even left lower quadrant, migrating to the right lower quadrant.
I think he had just about every student and resident examine him for rebound tenderness. I’m sure after getting poked a hundred times, he was probably sore in his RLQ.
He was a very large man with a wide girth.
Very funny, when I think back on this. The chief resident finally made a midline incision, then pulled the bowel out, revealing the appendix in the left lower quadrant. His liver and spleen were also reversed.
I can’t believe that this condition is that common. 1 in 22,000? That seems like a lot.
Head up ass is cranial rectucitis.
Did he even have an appendicitis? No barium prior to the surgery? MRI or CT?
Did the surgeon diagnosis himself? “The doctor who treats himself has a fool for a patient.” He sounds like a jerk.
This happened over 40 years ago.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.