Dextrocardia

Question 1

What are the examination findings/signs of dextrocardia?

Answer 1

1. Right apex beat
2. Heart sound better heard over the right than left

Explore other abnormalities:
3. Bronchiectasis (inspiratory coarse crepitations)
4. Sinusitis (nasal speech) - Katargener’s syndrome
5. Turner’s syndrome

Question 2

What condition is dextrocardia associated with?

Answer 2

1. Kartagener’s syndrome - ciliary immotility syndrome
   - Triad: bronchiectasis, sinusitis/otitis media/frontal sinus dysplasia, infertility
2. Turner’s syndrome
3. Asplenia - Heinz and Howell-Jolly bodies

Question 3

What is situs inversus?
What is the significance of situs inversus in patient with dextrocardia?

Answer 3

Right sided apex and right ascending aorta
Left lung 3 lobes, left lung 2 lobes
Left sided liver, right sided stomach
Right descending colon

Usually no significant cardiac malformation

Question 4

What is dextroversion?
What is levoversion?

Answer 4

Dextroversion
- Right apex, left descending aorta
- Left stomach

Levoversion
- Left apex, right descending aorta
- Right stomach